TALEI^FTHE 
BARK  LOIX3EX 


Tales  of  the  Bark  Lodges 


By 

HEN-TOH 

Wyandot 


HARLOW  PUBLISHING  CO. 
Oklahoma  City 
1920 


Copyright,    1919. 

By 
HARLOW    PUBLISHING    CO, 


First   Edition    November,    1919. 
Second  Edition  September,  1920. 


FOREWORD 

More  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  among 
the  scattered  bands  of  the  Eastern  American 
Indians,  were  many  of  the  older  members  of  the 
tribe,  whom  we  among  ourselves  called,  "old  time 
Indians."  I  refer  to  those  tribes  whose  ances 
tors  had  associated  with  and  known  the  white 
man  and  his  ways  ever  since  the  earliest  Colonial 
settlements  were  made. 

Amalgamation  with  the  civilized  races  had 
lessened  the  degree  of  Indian  blood  and  they  had 
become  a  civilized  people.  They  were  educated 
more  or  less,  and  were  possessed  of  an  innate 
refinement  of  thought  and  manner.  They  were 
reserved,  closely  observant,  earnest  and  shrewd, 
and  almost  always  serious.  With  all  that  they 
had  gained  from  civilization,  they  retained  and 
cherished  closely,  many  of  their  old  manners 
and  customs,  adapting  these  to  the  ever-changing 
times.  They  had  a  marked  character  and  indi 
viduality  of  their  own;  and  among  them  were 
those  who,  to  a  discriminating  mind,  were  well 
worth  knowing. 

Many  of  these,  however  much  they  had  ac 
quired  of  the  ways  of  others,  failed  in  their  use 
of  ordinary  English,  to  the  most  humorous  de- 


435501 


iv  FOREWORD. 

gree.  The  greater  number  of  them  yet  used 
their  own  tribal  language,  and  they  found  it  dif 
ficult  to  think  something  out  in  this,  and  then 
transpose  and  express  it  in  English.  Yet,  in 
spite  of  the  many  perplexities,  when  in  the  mood 
to  do  so,  within  the  family,  or  circle  of  inti 
mates,  the  English  language  was  often  spoken  to 
the  exclusion  of  their  own.  And  with  all  their 
natural  earnestness  and  seriousness,  they  would 
drive  straight  ahead,  paying  no  attention  what 
ever  to  the  strange  and  ludicrous  quirks  and 
turns  they  gave  to  English  as  they  tried  to 
speak  it. 

They  lived  much  in  the  past  of  their  race,  and 
they  delighted  to  talk  and  tell  of  "the  olden 
times."  Lore  and  legend  were  very  dear  to 
them;  and  during  the  long  nights  of  winter,  the 
traditions,  tales  and  myths,  handed  down  from 
one  generation  to  another  for  centuries,  were 
often  related  by  these  older  ones. 

I  have  always  loved  the  old  people  and  their 
olden  tales,  and  in  the  broken  dialect  peculiar 
alone  to  the  "old  time  Indian,"  I  have  attempted 
to  give  some  of  the  old  stories  originally  derived 
from  the  Lake  Region  Tribes.  Since  these  have 
survived  for  unknown  ages,  and  have  been  told 
and  re-told  to  so  many  generations;  and,  since 
I  and  many  of  the  friends  I  have  known,  have 


FOREWORD.  v 

found  a  certain  enjoyment  in  hearing  them  re 
lated,  I  have  tried  to  again  re-tell  some  of  them 
for  the  pleasure  of  anyone  who  may  find  in 
them  anything  to  please.  Perchance,  even  I, 
may  thereby  win  another  friend. 

I  have  tried  also  to  show  somewhat  of  the  in 
dividuality  and  view-point  of  these  old  people 
of  the  tribe;  and  it  is  to  the  dear  memory  of 
those  who  have  long  since  passed  beyond,  and 
to  the  few  that  yet  remain,  that  these  stories  and 
tales  as  now  given,  are  dedicated. 

Doubtless,  there  will  be  some  readers,  who 
will  at  once  say  that  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  "Uncle  Remus"  have  been  set  at  naught.  I 
say:  not  so;  and  I  believe  that  my  life-long  inti 
mate  knowledge  of  Indian  life  and  character  en 
titles  me  at  least  to  my  opinion.  Others  may 
have  theirs. 

I  can  well  recall  the  time  of  my  boyhood, 
when  I  saw  the  first  of  the  "Uncle  Remus 
Stories."  I  was  delighted  with  them  because  I 
found  so  much  in  them  with  which  I  had  been 
familiar  from  my  earliest  childhood.  I  hastened 
to  call  the  attention  of  the  older  members  of  our 
family  to  them.  And,  more  particularly  did  I 
hasten  to  read  some  of  them  to  a  dear  old  Aunt, 
a  Wyandot  woman  of  the  old  type,  who  lived 
with  us. 


vi  FOREWORD. 

Like  myself,  she  was  pleased  with  them, 
but  at  once  said  as  many  of  the  episodes  were 
recognized : 

"They're   Indian   stories;   not   whiteman; 
not  nigger." 

I  heartily  agreed  with  her,  and  while  we 
both  enjoyed  them,  we  were  just  a  bit  indignant 
because,  so  to  speak,  our  title  had  been  pre 
empted. 

Later,  when  the  discussion  was  taken  up  by 
older  and  far  wiser  heads  than  mine,  and  when 
Professor  Powell  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute 
stated  that  the  stories  exhibited  more  of  Indian 
origin  than  of  negro,  I  was  satisfied  as  to  my 
claim,  and  have  never  since  had  reason  to  doubt 
the  fact  of  their  Indian  origin. 

That  the  origin  of  many  of  the  episodes  is 
purely  Iroquoian,  is  to  my  mind  too  clear  to 
admit  of  doubt  or  dispute.  The  Cherokee  is  an 
Iroquoian  tribe,  as  is  also  the  Wyandot.  The 
Cherokees  removed  south  at  an  early  day  in  the 
history  of  this  country  and  became  slave-holders. 
Can  it  be  doubted  that  much  of  their  lore,  and 
many  of  their  old  tales  and  traditions  were  ab 
sorbed  by  the  negroes?  The  Wyandots  remained 
until  years  later,  with  their  kindred  tribes  in  the 
north,  where  these  same  stories,  legends,  tales, 
and  traditions  had  been  preserved,  with  per 
haps  slight  variations  among  the  several  tribes, 


FOREWORD.  vii 

for  centuries.  Yes,  even  centuries  before  such 
thing  was  dreamed  of,  as  the  coming  of  either 
the  white  man  or  the  black  man. 

Each  of  the  many  stories  originally  had 
some  special  significance  which  has  long  since 
been  lost  almost  entirely.  Their  preservation 
was  of  tribal  importance;  and  it  was  the  duty 
of  some  of  the  older  members  of  the  tribe,  to 
relate  them  to  the  younger  ones.  This  had 
been  an  honored  custom  among  them  for  un 
told  ages. 

Story-telling  furnished  a  vast  source  of 
amusement  and  entertainment,  as  well  as  in 
struction,  to  the  dwellers  in  the  long  bark  lodges 
near  the  Lake  shores,  during  the  winter  nights. 
Stories  were  never  related  except  at  this  season 
of  the  year;  for  it  was  the  belief  that  the  many 
spirits  of  nature  thought  to  be  awake  and  alert 
during  the  other  seasons,  would  be  perhaps  of 
fended  at  hearing  so  much  said  about  them.  So, 
in  the  long,  cold,  and  sometimes  dreary  winter 
season,  when  all  nature  seemed  to  be  soundly 
sleeping,  time  was  often  whiled  away,  and  even 
hunger  and  want  forgotten  while  listening  to  a 
story  well  told. 

HEN-TOH,  Wyandot. 
Ottawa  County,  Oklahoma. 


CONTENTS 

I.  OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING 3 

II.  A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER 16 

III.  OLD  COON  SLEEPS  Too  LONG 27 

IV.  OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN 37 

V.  OLD  COON  VISITS  THE  SUGAR  BUSH 51 

VI.    OLD  Fox  AND  OLD  COON  TRY  A  NEW 

VENTURE 61 

VII.  A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE 74 

VIII.  THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  84 

IX.  WHY  AUTUMN  LEAVES  ARE  RED 95 

X.  THE  FERRYMAN  100 

XI.    OLD   COON   TEACHES   THE   WOLF   TO 
HUNT 105 

XII.    THE  HOLE  IN  THE  SKY...  ..113 


TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 


TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

I. 

OLD  FOX  GOES  FISHING. 

"What  you  sed,  Bra-ty?  Yooht!  You  al! 
a  time  sed  tell  'em  OP  Ouendot  story.  What 
for?  He's  'bout  all  gone  now,  Ouendots. 
You  jus'  lit'l  bit,  you  fatha',  you  motha'  jus' 
lit'l  bit  mo'  Ouendot.  Look,  you  hair  jus' 
lik'  a  sunshine  if  you  ketch  'im  an'  tie  in 
bunch.  Ouendot,  his  hair  black  like  a  night, 

an'  fine,  jus'  lik  you  sistah  yonda.    Eyes 
black  too.  He  an'  you  motha'  an'  me,  all 

looks  lik'  Ouendot."     So  spoke  a  pleasant, 
kindly  looking  old  Wyandot  woman  to  a  lit- 

[3] 


4  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

tie  boy  who  was  sitting  with  her  before  a 
cheery  open  fire,  where  a  row  of  streaked, 
juicy  red  apples  were  slowly  roasting  on 
the  broad  hearth. 

The  boy  replying  to  his  old  aunt,  said: 
"Yes,  I  know,  but  Neh-ah,  I'm  a  Wyan- 
dot  even  if  my  hair  is  like  what  you  say, 
and  you  know  I  just  love  to  hear  you  tell 
me  all  of  the  old  stories  that  the  little  Wy- 
andot  children,  yes,  and  the  older  ones  too, 
listened  to  so  many,  many  years  ago.  That 
was  before  they  ever  knew  there  was  such 
a  thing  as  a  white  man,  I  guess.  I  like  to 
hear  all  about  the  'olden  times'  you  often 
tell  me  about,  and  how  the  Wyandots  lived 
and  did  things  then.  Anyway,  you  know 
that  as  long  as  I  can  claim  a  little  bit  of 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  5 

Wyandot  blood,  I  am  an  Indian,  a  Wyan- 
dot,  and  not  a  white  man." 

More  than  just  a  bit  pleased,  the  old 
aunt  said  to  him:  "Well,  I  s'pose  it's  jus' 
that  way,  an'  it  be  that  way  too,  all  a  time, 
with  anybody  what's  Ouendot.  Just  say 
kin'  a  proud,  Tm  Ouendot.'  Anyway,  I  tole 
you  all  a  ol'  story  what  I  think  of,  cause 
you  all  a  time  tell  a  me  story  'bout  nowa 
days,  an'  read  to  me,  book  an'  pay-pa'  too, 
'bout  eva'thing  what's  goin'  on  in  worl'  an' 
all  a  diffunt  place.  All  a  Injun  long  'go 
use'  tell  'em  ol'  story,  so  young  folk  can 
le'rn  all  'bout  ol'  times.  Some  time  when 
hunta's  don'  got  back  yet  with  meat,  an' 
mebbe  so  don't  got  much  to  eat  in  lodge, 
then  jus'  -tell  'em  story  long  time,  and  jusr 


6  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

kin'  a  fo'got  he's  hungry.  He's  do  that  kin' 
in  a  winta'  time.  But  you  don'  eva'  much 
hungry;  anyway  look,  we  have  good  roas' 
apple,  tzhu-u-wat,  prit'  soon.  Well,  anyhow, 
I  tole  you  'bout  OP  Fox  an'  OP  Coon,  at's 
his  couzzen.  They  jus'  all  a  time  try  to 
play  trick  on  each  otha'  them  fellas.  Jus' 
like  long  time  'go,  young  fellas  what  go  all 
'roun'  diffunt  village,  an'  jus'  play  trick  on 
oP  witch  womans,  an'  eva'body  they  could, 
an'  jus'  make  'em  big  laff  all  'roun'  cause 
they  foolish  'em,  heap  all  a  time. 

"It's  col'  frosty  mornin'  long  time  'go; 
winta'  time.  OP  Fox  he's  lazy  to  get  up, 
jus'  sleep  long  time  fo'  he  get  up  an'  go 
'roun'  to  see  what's  goin'  on.  By-um-by, 
he's  jus'  walkin'  long  riva'  bank,  jus'  sing- 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  7 

in'  like  to  he-self,  jus'  like  he's  feelin'  kin'- 
a  good.  He's  jus'  come  'roun'  by  lit'l  hill 
an'  he  see  Coon  comin'  up  road.  He's 
carry  somethin'  on  back,  jus'  puffin'  lik' 
it's  heavy.  01'  Fox  he's  wonda'  what's  got 
01'  Coon.  By-um-by  he's  come  'long  clos', 
01'  Coon,  an'  Fox  he  see  'em  long  string, 
lots  crawfish,  what's  carryin'  OF  Coon. 

"  'Good  mornin'  Couzzen,'  he  sed  it  01' 
Coon,  'How  you  mek  it?  What  fo'  you 
sing  jus'  like  happy,  this  time  mornin'? 
Mebbe  so  it's  gif  you  bad  lucks,  cause  you 
sing  so  early.  Mebbe  so  you  bettah  what 
you  say,  cut  it  out/ 

"OF  Fox  he  jus'  grin  an'  sed:  'Good 
mornin'  Couzzen  Coon,  I  jus'  makin'  up 
new  song  fo'  nex'  Council  Fire;  I  don* 


8  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

tho't  'bout  no  bad  lucks  what  you  say;  but 
what's  you  got,  all  lots  a  crawfish?  Whe-e-e 
'at's  fine,  how  you  ketch  'em?  You  jus'  all 
time  lucky  hunta',  ketch  eva'thing  easy; 
what  makes  all  a  time  you  do  that  way?' 

"He  sed  it  01'  Coon:  'Oh,  yes,  me  all 
time  kill  'em  ten.  'At's  caus'  you  don't  see 
me  come  singin'  on  road  befo'  I  eat  'em  my 
breakfus';  an'  this  kin',  I  jus'  pick  'em  up 
down  riva'.  'At's  easy.  Seems  to  me  you 
can  do  bettah  as  I  can,  'caus'  you'  tail  it's 
long  an'  lots  a-bushy.' 

"OF  Fox  he  think  he's  make  a  fun  'bout 
his  tail,  Coon,  an'  sed  it:  'Oh,  it's  good 
'nuff  my  tail,  but  you  don'  sed  how  you 
ketch  'em  crawfish;  I  like  to  try  ketch 'em/ 

"  'Oh,  you  lik'  ketch  'em,'  01'  Coon,  he 
say,  'It's  easy,  but  you  haf  to  waitin'  long 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  9 

time,  jus'  waiting  but  you  don't  haf  to 
watchin'  nothin',  jus'  waitinV 

"Fox  he  say,  'Well,  you  tell-a-me,  an'  I 
do  what  you  sed.  I  lik'  to  try  to-day,  right 
now/ 

"Or  Coon  he  point  back  which  way  he 
come  an'  he  say:  'Right  down  on  riva', 
'roun'  that  bank,  it's  good  place  on  ice,  it's 
lots  lit'l  hole  in  ice,  all  ova'.  You  look,  fin' 
good  one,  big  nuff  jus'  put  it  in,  you  tail, 
jus'  way  down  in  wata' ;  he  ain't  cold  much, 
wata'.  You  jus'  sit  there,  tail  in  wata', 
waitin'  long  time.  By-um-by,  crawfish  he 
come  'long  1-o-t-s  ov  'em,  he  get  all  tangle 
up  on  you'  tail.  You  jus'  waitin'  long  time; 
afta'  while  it's  feel  heavy,  but  you  jus' 
waitin'  some  mo'  an'  by-um-by  when  you 


10  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

waitin'  1-o-n-g  time,  you  jus'  jump  quick, 
jus'  high  lik'  you  can.  You'  tail  it's  be  pull 
out  hole,  an'  it's  all  scattah  ova'  ice  craw 
fish,  lots  ov  'em.  You  mus'  pick  'em  up 
hurry,  fo'  he's  crawl  back  to  that  holes. 
It's  sure  bes'  kin'  fishin  I  do  long  time. 
Sure  ketch  'em  plenty  crawfish,  mebbe.' 

"01'  Fox  he's  jus'  lis'n  to  Coon  talk 
'bout  it,  an'  he  say:  'Well,  I  try  'im  what 
you  sed,  Couzzen,  cause  I  lik'  to  ketch  'em 
mo'  what  you  ketch  'em,  crawfish;  I  think 
I  go  try  now.' 

"Coon  he  sed:  'Well,  you  go  try.  I'm 
jus'  'bout  froze  it  now,  stan'  here  tole  you 
'bout  it,  fishin' ;  nobody  don'  tole  me,  I  jus' 
mek'  'em  that  kin'  fishin'.'  Then  he's  go 
on'  jus'  lik'  he's  hurry,  that  01'  Coon. 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  11 

He's  go  lit'l  way,  an'  jus'  laff  to  he-self, 
much,  cause  he's  jus'  foolin'  'im,  that  01' 
Fox;  he  don'  ketch  'em  crawfish  that  way, 
lik'  what  he  sed  it. 

"Fox,  he's  jus'  b'lieve  'im  all  of  it;  jus' 
cause  he's  got  more  big  tail  than  01'  Coon, 
he's  jus'  think  he  ketch  'em  heap  crawfish. 
He's  go  down  on  ice  by  riva,  jus'  hurry, 
cause  he's  want  fin'  hole,  so  he  can  do  it. 
that  waitin'.  He's  by-um-by  fin'  it  good 
one,  hole,  but  it's  col'  wind  blow  strong, 
jus'  freezin',  but  he  don'  care  nothin'  cause 
he's  want  try  that  waitin'.  He's  put  in 
hole  his  tail,  an'  he's  set  down  on  ice.  That 
ice  c-o-1',  an'  jus'  make  sheever,  jus'  lik' 
eva'thin'.  He's  jus'  think  it's  be  good  eatin' 
that  crawfish,  an'  jus'  keep  on  sheever. 


12  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

He's  don'  care  fo'  that  kin',  sheever,  he's 
jus'  want  'em  heaps  crawfish. 

"By-um-by,  it's  kin'  pull  lit'l  bit,  his 
tail;  it's  freezin'  that  wata',  but  he  don't 
know,  he's  jus'  think  it's  much  crawfish 
tangle  on  his  tail.  He's  think,  'I  jus'  wait- 
in'  some  mo'  cause  it's  what  mek  'em  come 
lots  crawfish.  I  sure  beat  'im,  01'  Coon, 
ketch'em  crawfish,  then  I  tell  'im,  I  bes' 
one  fishin'.'  So  that  ol'  feller,  he's  jus' 
waitin',  an'  waitin'  'til  by-um-by,  it's  his 
tail  all  freeze  in  ice;  it's  tight  one,  freeze, 
you  bet'cha. 

"He's  waitin'  lit'l  mo',  an'  sed  to  he-self: 
'It's  must-a-be  many  crawfish  now,  I  think 
time  to  jump  now.'  So  he's  try  to  jump 
high,  but  it's  freeze  tight,  his  tail,  an'  jus' 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  13 

pull  h-a-r-d.  He's  jus'  almos'  holler,  cause 
it's  make  hurt;  but  he's  jus'  think  it's  so 
lots  ov  crawfish,  he  don'  care  fo'  lit'l  bit 
hurt.  He's  jus'  jump  h-a-r-d  'notha'  time, 
an'  it's  almos'  pull  it  off  his  tail;  then  he 
jus'  think,  'He's  foolish  me  that  01'  Coon. 
He  tell  lie,  he  don'  ketch  'em  this  way,  that 
crawfish;  he's  jus'  lie  all-a-time.  He's 
do  me  bad  one,  this  trick;  but  I'll  pay  back, 
I  ketch  'im.  He's  fin'  out/ 

"Well,  anyway,  it's  freeze  up  his  tail, 
all  tight  plenty;  what's  goin'  do  get  'em 
loose,  don'  know,  cause  it's  hurt  much  eva? 
time  he's  try  pull  'em.  Jus'  pull  'em  h-a-r-d, 
it's  'bout  break  it,  his  tail.  He's  feel  jus' 
b-a-d,  now. 

"By-um-by,  he's  lookin'  'roun',  and'  see 
somethin'  lik'  black  nose,  right  ova'  tha' 


14       TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

in  hole,  clos'  to  bank;  then  it's  come  up 
lit'l  mo'  an'  it's  sharp  eye,  too,  an'  01'  Fox 
he's  sed:  '0  Uncle  Beaver,  I  sure  got  it 
bad  fix,  mebbe  so  you  help  me/  01'  Fox 
he's  go  'head  tell  'im,  Beaver,  what's  that 
he's  tell  'im  do,  01'  Coon.  He's  tell  'im  all 
'bout  it  01'  Fox.  Beaver,  he's  jus'  lis'n,  an' 
look  like  he's  try  hard  not  laff,  an'  by-um- 
by  he's  go  back  in  watah.  He's  swim  ova' 
unda'  ice,  an'  he's  work  long  time,  jus'  like 
eva'thin',  and  he's  get  'em  loose  OF  Fox,  his 
tail ;  then  he's  come  up  top  'gen  an'  tell  'em 
01'  Fox :  'Now  I  guess  you  pull  'em  out  ice, 
you  tail,  my  fren',  an'  nex'  time  he's  tell 
you  how  do  somethin',  01'  Coon,  mebbe  so 
you  don'  lis'n  good.' 

"01'  Fox  he's  lis'n  what  say,  OP  Beaver 
an'  think  it;  but  he's  want  do  something 


OLD  Fox  GOES  FISHING  15 

too,  so  he's  sed  it:  'Uncle,  you  come,  I  like 
fix  it  somethin'  so  I  'member  it  what  you 
do.'  Beaver,  he  jus'  come  ova'  by  01'  Fox, 
an'  Fox  he's  jus'  take  hands  an'  gatha'  up 
lots  lit'l  sof  white  snow,  an'  he's  jus'  rub  it 
e-a-s-y  all  'roun'  it's  his  nose,  OP  Beaver. 
It's  jus'  change  color  lit'l  bit  that  hairs 
'roun'  his  nose,  OP  Beaver,  an'  meks  look 
nice,  lit'l  bit.  It's  jus'  stay  that  way  eva' 
since. 

"That's  how  he  say,  Old  People,  long  'go 
it's  that  way." 


II. 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER. 

Another  evening  when  the  Boy  and  Neh- 
ah  were  sitting  before  the  same  cheery  fire, 
while  outside  the  northwest  wind  swirled 
and  whistled  through  the  bare  branches  of 
the  walnut  trees,  Neh-ah,  knowing  well  that 
a  story  would  soon  be  asked  for,  said : 

"Bra-ty,  I  don'  tole  you  'bout  how  he's 
went  to  Big  Council,  01'  Coon,  is  it?  That 
o?  scamp,  he's  jus'  know  he  betta'  keep  out 
his  way,  01'  Fox,  lit'l  while,  anyhow,  caus' 
he's  jus'  hope  01'  Coon,  mebbe  so,  his  couz- 
zen  he'll  forgot  it  'bout  that  craw-fishin', 
when  he's  prit'  near  los'  it  his  tail. 

[16] 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER  17 

"Co'se  not,  he  don't  fo'get  it,  OF  Fox,  an' 
he  don'  tole  nobody  'bout  that  kin'  fishin' 
neitha' ;  an'  he's  jus'  hope  UncP  Beaver 
wouldn'  sed  'bout  it  to  nobody  too.  But 
that  OF  Beaver,  he's  good  ol'  fella,  and  jus' 
heap  like  'im  eva'body;  anyhow,  he's  jus' 
got  tell  'im  his  fren'  that  OF  Otter. 

"That  01'  Otter,  he's  jus'  jolly  fella,  an' 
all  a  time  jus'  laff  good  'bout  all  a  kin'  a 
things ;  an'  that  Beaver,  he's  jus'  all  a  time 
likes  to  hear  'im  laff  big,  so,  jus'  tell  'im 
eva'  time,  anything,  that  Otter. 

"Any-how — 

"It's  jus'  few  days  afta'  OP  Coon  tole 
it,  his  couzzen  how  to  ketch'em  crawfish, 
he  sed  to  he-self,  OP  Coon:  'Mebbe  so  I 
get  out  a  way  lit'l  time,  cause  Fox  he  might 


18  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

try  it  somethin'  to  get  even/  Any  how 
it's  jus'  'bout  that  time,  it's  come  'Rah- 
shu,'  it's  what  you  call  'em  moccasin,  he's 
go  all  'roun'  diffunt  village,  an'  tell  'em 
somethin',  eva'body.  He  sed  this  one,  it's 
goin'  be  big  Council  way  down  'notha 
place. 

"OP  Coon  he's  always  like  to  go,  cause 
he's  good  singa',  an'  he's  talk  good  some 
times,  too.  Anyhow  he  sed:  'I  go,  bet'cha 
01'  Fox  he's  don'  be  there.'  Then  he's  jus' 
laff,  an'  he  sed :  'I  tell  'em  all  those  fellas 
how's  01'  Fox  he's  ketch'em  crawfish.' 

"So's  he's  get  ready  an'  he's  go.  He's 
fin'  lots  of  'em  that  place  when  he's  got 
there.  Somebody  he  sed :  'Where  is  it  01' 
Fox  an*  Turtle,  it's  always  come  them 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER  19 

fellas,  wonda'  where  is  it  an'  why  don' 
come/  But  afta'  while  01'  Coon  tell  'em 
'bout  how  ketch'em  crawfish,  OP  Fox,  he 
don'  say  that  no  mo',  jus'  laff  good. 

"They  all  stay  that  place  three-fouh 
days,  talkin'  'bout  lots  thing,  then  Coon, 
he  sed :  'Well,  time  I  go,'  an'  he's  pick  up 
his  lit'l  drum  an'  start  back.  He's  jus* 
travel  'long  all  day,  sometime  he's  sing 
lit'l  bit,  sometimes  he's  talk  to  he-self.  He 
neva'  see  nobody,  'til  he's  jus'  'bout  home, 
when  sun,  he's  'bout  go  ova'  hill;  then  he's 

meet  Turtle,  jus'  comin'  'long  slow,  he's 
goin'  home  too. 

""Kway,  my  fren'P  he's  sed  it,  01* 
Coon,  'What  fo'  you  don'  bin  there,  Big 
Council?  We  look  fo'  you,  all  time,  we 
want  you  make  good  talk.' 


20  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"OP  Turtle,  he  sed:  'I  goin'  bin  there, 
but  jus'  when  I  start,  OP  Fox,  his  woman 
he  come  my  lodge,  an'  he  sed  somethin' 
wrong  OP  Fox,  he's  bad  cross,  don'  like 
nothin'.  He  want  me  come  see  'im,  OP 
Fox.  So  I  tell  'im  I  go  see  OP  Fox,  mebbe 
so  he's  sick,  I  doctah  him.  So,  I  go  see 
him,  but  I  can't  know  what's  mattah  with 
'im.  He's  jus'  cross  like  dickens  all  time, 
an'  it's  heap  sore,  his  tail.' 

"OP  Coon  he's  jus'  lis'n  an'  laff  lit'l 
bit,  then  he  sed :  'OP  Fox,  he  be  a'right  in 
few  day.  I  go,  now,  I  gotta'  fin'  suppa' 
some  kin'.'  So  he's  go  on.  By-um-by  he's 
come  out  of  bush,  right  by  lake,  oh  it's  nice 
one,  that  lake,  jus'  blue  watah  and  jus' 
clos'  to  sho'  it's  swim  'roun'  lots  of  goose; 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER  21 

he's  fat  one,  too.  01'  Coon,  he's  jus'  look 
at  those  lots  of  goose,  then  he  say:  To-ho,, 
my  fren's,  you  come,  I  tell  it  you  some- 
thin';  where  I  jus'  come,  it's  eva'body  jus' 
sing  an'  dance.  It's  new  dance.  You 
fellas  jus'  come  out  on  nice  sand,  I  show 
you  how  do  it.'  It's  all  those  goose,  he 
jus'  come  step  out  on  sand,  jus'  walk  like 
soldier,  long  string.  01'  Coon  jus'  take  off 
belt,  his  lit'l  drum,  an'  sed  it:  Well,  my 
fren's,  you  jus'  make  it  big  ring,  I  stay  in 
niiddel.  I  sing  an'  beat  it  drum.  When  I 
stop  sing  an'  play  drum,  all  you  gooses 
jus'  shut  eyes  tight  an'  dance  slow  jus' 
like  what  I  showed  you  now.'  Then  01'  Coon 
he's  jus'  dance  nice  to  show  'em  how,  all 
those  goose.  He  say,  01'  Coon:  'You 


22  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

musn't  stop  dance  'till  I  begin  sing  'gen, 
an'  jus*  keep  shut  all  time,  yo'  eye.  It's 
how  they  dance  eva'body,  down  that  place 
I  jus'  come  now.' 

"So  all  that  gooses  jus'  make  ring,  like 
he's  tol'  'em  OP  Coon,  an'  all  jus'  shut  his 
eye  an'  list'n  while  he's  sing  good,  OP  Coon, 
an'  jus'  beat  it  that  drum.  He's  jus'  sing: 

'Ho-he-yah,  ho-ha, 

Yah-dra-wah,  ho-ye-yah, 
Ho-ha,  yah-dra-wah.' 

"Then  when  OP  Coon,  he  quit  sing- 
in',  all  those  old  goose  jus'  dance  'roun' 
slow  an'  easy  like,  all  his  eye  jus'  shut. 
Now  OP  Coon  jus'  reach  out  queek,  an' 
grab  one  oP  fat  she-goose,  jus'  snap  his 
head  off  'fore  he  could  squawk,  an'  thro' 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER  23 

it  behin'  him  in  hurry.  Then  he's  sing 
agen,  an'  when  he's  stop  sing,  those  goose 
jus'  dance  'roun'  slow  like,  an'  he  grab 
'notha  one,  fat  one,  an'  queek,  twis'  head 
off  an'  throw  behin'  him,  then  he  do  same 
thing,  an'  get  notha'  one.  But  jus'  when 
he's  ketch  'em  las'  one,  lit'l  oP  she-goose 
dancin',  open  one  eye  jus'  lit'l  bit,  cause  he 
want  see  if  he  ain't  bes'  dancer.  That  she- 
goose  when  he  see  what  he's  do  that  OP 
Coon,  jus'  holler  loud  an'  sed:  'Oh,  he's 
kill  us!'  an'  all  those  goose  he's  fly  'way, 
like  big  hurry. 

"OP  Coon  he's  jus'  laff,  an'  pick  'em  up 
his  three  goose  an'  lit'l  drum,  an'  start  on 
to  his  lodge.  He's  think  he's  got  good  sup- 
pa'  now. 


24  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"While  he's  goin'  'long,  he's  say  to  he- 
self:  'I  b'lieve  I  like  'em  betta'  roas' 
gooses/  So  when  he's  come  his  lodge,  he's 
fix  his  gooses,  an'  pick  up  lots  of  stick  to 
mek  big  fire,  cause  by-um-by  it's  burn 
all  down  an'  meks  good  lots  coal  an* 
ashes,  good  place  to  roas'  'em  gooses.  It's 

good  suppa'  he's  got  now,  by-um-by,  soon. 
"It's  w-a-y  down  'long  river,  01'  Fox,  his 
lodge.  By-um-by  he's  look  out  an'  see  big 
light,  big  fire  on  hill  clos'  by  his  lodge,  01' 
Coon.  01'  Fox  he  look,  an'  he  say  to  he- 
self:  'I  wonda'  he's  come  home,  that  ol' 
rascal,  an'  what  fo'  he's  got  big  fire.  I 
jus'  slip  'roun'  that  way  an'  see  what  he's 
do/  So  he's  call  his  little  nephew  what's 
live  with  him,  an'  tole  'im  don't  need  to 


A  DANCE  AND  A  DINNER  25 

mek  fire  in  lodge,  cause  he's  goin'  'way 
an'  not  come  back  'til  late.  It's  what  he 
sed,  01'  Fox,  an'  tell  'em  nephew:  Tou 
go  sleep.' 

"Well,  'bout  that  time,  his  fire,  01'  Coon, 
it's  all  burn  down,  an'  make  good  ashes 
an'  hot  coal.  He's  take  stick  an'  scrape  all 
'way  that  hot  coal,  an'  lay  'em  down  that 
gooses  on  his  back,  all,  one,  two,  three,  in 
row,  his  foot  all  stick  up  straight  out  ashes 
jus'  like  beans  what's  jus'  come  up  in 
garden. 

"It's  gettin'  dark  now,  an'  wind  it's 
blow.  He  could  hear  'im  up  in  limbs  on 
tree.  01'  Coon,  up  high  on  rocky  hill,  he's 
set  down  by  fire  an'  jus'  lis'n.  He's  kin* 
tired  that  01'  Coon,  an'  it's  jus'  soun'  easy 


26  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

that  wind,  an'  make  'im  feel  sleepy  like. 
He's  lis'n  to  riva'  down  there,  too,  jus* 
soun's  good,  an'  by-um-by  he's  jus'  sleepy 
like  eva'thing.  So,  he  say  to  he-self:  'I 
could  take  it  nap  while  it's  cook,  my  sup- 
pa',  I  do  that  'cause  nothin'  botha  it  'tall' 
"It's  some  limbs  way  up  high  ova  he 
head,  jus'  makin'  noise  'cause  wind  it's 
blow  and  jus'  mek  squeek  when  it's  rub 
togetha'  that  limbs.  01'  Cool  he's  sed: 
'Hey,  you  noisy  fellas  up  tha',  I  want 
sleep  lit'l  nap,  you  woke  me  if  it's  botha 
anythin'  'bout  my  suppa'.  He's  say  a'right 
that  limbs,  an'  by-um-by  that  01'  Coon  he's 
curl  up  an'  sleep  good,  jus'  lit'l  ways  from 
fire." 


III. 

OLD  COON  SLEEPS  TOO  LONG. 

A  stick  of  wood  in  the  fire-place  burned 
in  two,  and  the  sparks  went  flying  up  the 
chimney's  black  throat.  The  Boy  took  the 
poker  and  drew  the  other  logs  closer  to 
gether.  Meanwhile  the  tall  old  clock  struck 
off  eight  resounding  peals,  finishing  with 
its  usual  whirr. 

"Neh-ah,  it  only  said  eight,  can't  you  go 
on  and  tell  me  if  that  poor  Old  Coon,  hun 
gry  as  he  was,  got  to  eat  his  fine  supper;  or 
did  it  all  burn  up  while  he  was  taking  such 
a  good  nap.  He  made  such  a  great  fire, 
I'm  wondering." 

[27] 


28  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

After  turning  to  the  boy's  mother,  who 
was  sitting  near  by  sewing,  and  address 
ing  a  few  words  to  her  in  Wyandot,  the 
Old  Aunt  said : 

"No,  it  don'  burn  it  up,  his  suppa'.  Spec' 
he  don'  bin  so  mad  if  it  did.  He  no  bizness 
lay  there  an'  go  sleep  it  so  good ;  but  he's 
jus'  all  a  time  such  a  smart,  it's  jus'  good 
'nough  fo'  him.  I  tole  you  lit'l  mo'  'bout 
it,  then  you  go  bed. 

"Well, 

"It's  a'ready  come  up,  big  moon,  down 
tha'  in  east;  but  it's  jus'  sleepin'  yet, 
01'  Coon,  don'  wake  'im  up,  nothin'.  By- 
um-by,  up  there  in  rocks,  'bove  where  it's 
sleepin/  01'  Coon,  you  could  see  'em  sharp 
nose  an'  sharp  eyes  too,  jus'  'roun'  edge 


OLD  COON  SLEEPS  Too  LONG  20 

of  rock,  lookin'  down  where's  sleep,  Or 
Coon.  Then  when  see  he's  sleep  good, 
that  Coon,  01'  Fox  he's  come  down,  jus' 
walkin'  easy,  he  don't  step  on  rocks,  no 
nothin',  jus'  walk  sof  an'  don'  mek  it 
noise.  He's  look  all  'roun'  that  Fox,  an' 
by-um-by  he's  see  'em  that  six  goose  foots 
stickin'  out  row  in  ashes. 

"  'Ah-e-e-e,'  he  jus'  sed  it  easy,  'that's 
reason  he's  got  big  fire,  01'  Coon.  I  glad 
I'm  fin'  it,  an'  I  glad  I'm  come  see  'bout 
it  that  big  fire.  I  lik'  'em  roas'  gooses,  an' 
I  could  jus'  'bout  eat  'em  three  of  it.  He's 
good  one,  hunta,  my  Couzzen;  but  must 
a-be  it's  heap  tired  now.  Too  tired,  can't 
eat  'em;  well,  I  eat  'em  that  goose/ 

"He's  look  at  that  01'  Coon  all-a-time, 
but  he's  jus'  sleepin'  good  now,  so  Fox 


30  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

he's  jus'  step  'roun'  easy  an'  get  stick,  an' 
scrape  'way  ashes  from  that  gooses.  It's 
roas'  nice,  an'  jus'  smell  good.  It's  some 
limbs  up  there  in  trees  jus'  sque-e-k,  but 
it  don'  botha'  him,  01'  Coon. 

"Fox,  he's  get  busy  eat  it  that  goose  an' 
by-um-by  it's  jus'  nothin'  lef  but  pile 
bones — it's  got  lots  meat  on  yet,  cause  he's 
jus'  eat  it  bes'  part,  that  Fox.  He's  got 
nuff  fo'  he's  eat  all  of  it;  jus'  can't  eat 
no  mo'.  It's  jus'  sque-e-k  all-a-time  that 
limbs,  but  don'  wake  it  up  nothin'  that  01' 
Coon. 

"When  he's  eat  all  he  want,  that  Fox, 
he  pick  up  all-a  bones  an'  put  'em  back 
in  ashes,  an'  he's  cova'  all  up  'gen  jus' 
lik'  it's  don'  botha'  it  nothin';  an5  he's 


OLD  COON  SLEEPS  Too  LONG  31 

stick  in  row  'gen,  all  that  goose  foots 
in  ashes,  jus'  same  lik'  he's  fix  it,  01' 
Coon. 

"It's  lit'l  pile  sof  ashes  clos'  by,  an'  he's 
go  there,  01'  Fox,  an'  he's  jus'  dance  all 
ova'  it,  so's  he  could  fin'  it  his  tracks,  that 
OF  Coon  when  he's  wake  up.  He  sed  it: 
'I  think  my  couzzen  he  bin  glad  I  come 
see  'im,  he  bin  glad  I  don'  woke  'im  up, 
cause  he's  heap  tired.' 

"He's  jus'  fix  it  eva'thin'  that  Fox,  then 
he's  go  down  hill  towa'ds  riva'.  It's  fine 
night,  moonlight,  an'  he's  jus'  walk  'long 
riva'  bank  'til  he's  feel  kinda'  tired  and 
sleepy-like — that's  cause  he's  eat  so  much 
goose.  By-um-by  he's  come  to  big  one 
tree  what's  stan'  'way  out  ova'  riva'.  It's 


32  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

look  like  good  place  to  sleep,  so  he's  clim' 
lip  an'  fin'  good  place  to  stretch  out,  an' 
by-um-by  he's  go  sleep.  Big  moon,  it's 
yellow,  shine  jus'  ova'  that  Fox,  down 
through  limbs  what  don?  got  no  leaf  on  it, 
and  mek  good  shadow  that  Fox  down  in 
clear  wata;  it's  jus'  15k'  he's  down  tha'  in 
wata,  that  Fox. 

"Well,  by-um-by  up  on  hill,  that  01'  Coon 
he's  jus'  wake  up  in  hurry  an'  he's  sed: 
'I  guess  I  take  good  nap,  mebbe.'  An' 
he's  jus'  stretch  he-self  an'  look  'roun'. 
He's  jus'  think:  'Well,  I  got  good  suppa' 
anyhow,  must-a-be  cook  good  now.' 

"He's  go  in  hurry  ova'  to  fire  an'  reach 
out  bofe  hands  an'  ketch  holt  goose  foots 
to  lif  it  out  of  ashes.  He's  jus'  lif  kind-a 


OLD  COON  SLEEPS  Too  LONG  33 

hard,  lik'  it's  heavy,  an'  he's  jus'  tumble 
back  an'  roll  ova'  holdin'  that  goose  foots 
in  his  hand.  He's  jus'  feel  lik'  funny,  an' 
he  say:  'I  guess  it's  cook  too  much,  my 
suppa'." 

"He's  get  up  an'  go  ova'  there  fire  'gen, 
an'  take  it  out  that  otha'  goose-foots  one 
at  time.  He's  don'  know  what's  mattah, 
an'  he's  jus'  look  lik'  funny'  eva'  time  he's 
take  it  out  that  goose-foots;  then  he's  take 
stick  an'  scrape  'way  that  ashes,  an'  don' 
fin'  nothin'  jus'  pile  bones  with  lit'l  bit 
meat  on  it.  He's  jus'  much  mad,  an'  he's 
sed  it: 

"  'He's  jus'  bin  here,  some  lazy  thief  an' 
steal  it  my  supper.  I  jus'  like  to  seen  it, 
I  bet  I  bust  'im  his  nose.  I  jus'  like  to  fin' 


34  TALES  OF  THE  BAKK  LODGES 

out  who  done  it,  I  bet  I  poun'  it  good. 
Must-a-be  it's  that  01'  Fox,  he's  the  one. 
He's  jus'  think  he's  get  even  fo'  that  craw- 
fishin'  I  tol'  'im  how  to  do  it.  'At  jus' 
joke,  that  one.  It's  m-e-a-n  trick,  this  one. 
It's  a'  right  for  him,  jus'  wait  I  ketch  'im, 
I  poun'  'im  an'  lick  'im  good,  I  don'  care 
fo'  hund'ed  snakes,  how  much  he's  holler, 
when  I  fin'  'im.'  He's  jus'  get  madda'  all 
time  that  01'  Coon,  an'  he's  jus'  shake  his 
fist  at  those  limb  up  in  trees,  an'  sed: 
'What  fo'  you  don'  do  it  like  I  sed  it, 
wake  me  up  when  I  sleep  it?  I  tole  you 
that  way,  ain't  it?'  He's  jus'  pickin'  meat 
off  those  bone,  while  he's  scold  it  that 
limbs,  an'  he's  jus  mad  like  eva'thing. 
He's  jue'  scold  som'  mo'  that  limb,  and 
sed  it: 


OLD  COON  SLEEPS  Too  LONG  35 

"  What  f  o'  you  don'  keep  still  now, 
you  don'  have  to  mek  noise,  you  jus'  mek 
me  mad  all  a  time.  If  don'  stop  you  mekin' 
noise,  I  come  up  tha'  when  I  finish  pick 
this  bones,  an'  I  mek  you  stop.'  That 
limb  he's  jus'  keep  on  squeek,  sqe-e-e-k, 
all-a-time,  an'  it's  so  mad  that  01'  Coon 
jus'  hurry  and'  eat  that  bones,  so  he  could 
go  up  an'  whip  it  those  limb. 

"When  he's  get  thro'  eatin'  that  bone, 
he  jus'  look  'roun'  and'  by-um-by  he's  fin' 
it  that  place  where  he's  dance,  01'  Fox. 
01'  Coon  he's  fin'  it  that  tracks,  an'  when 
he's  look  at  it,  he's  jus'  m-a-d,  some  mo'. 
An'  he's  jus'  pick  on  that  limbs  som'  mo', 
an'  sed  it:  'I  jus'  come  up  tha'  an'  I 
fix  it  you  fellas.'  So  he's  jus'  go  up 


36  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

that  trees  'til  he's  come  to  that  place  where 
that  limb  it's  kin'  a  broke,  an'  it's  in  fork, 
an'  wind  it's  blow  an'  jus'  make  it  that 
noise  where  it's  rub.  01'  Coon,  he's  jus' 
take  hold  that  big  limb  with  bofe  han's 
an'  he's  jus'  goin'  throw  down.  He's  so 
mad  he  don'  see  that  mebbe  so  might  pinch 
'im  that  limbs,  cause  it's  jus'  swing.  Fust 
he's  know  it'  just  ketch  'im  his  hand,  that 
limb,  an'  just  pinch  'im  tight.  Oh,  it's 
hurt  like  eva'thing.  He's  jus'  pull  an' 
pull,  that  Coon,  an'  jus'  make  worse.  By- 
um-by  he's  pull  it  out;  but  it's  hurt  b-a-d 
his  hand.  He's  sure  get  hard  time,  that 
01'  Coon.  He's  jus'  slip  off  try  to  sleep 
mebbe." 


IV. 


OLD  FOX  MEETS  HIS  COUSIN. 

It  had  been  snowing,  and  outside  a  keen, 
sharp  north  wind  was  rioting  everywhere. 
The  Boy,  having  finished  his  evening  chores, 
came  in  with  some  hickory  logs  for  the 
fire-place. 

The  fire-light  alone  lit  up  the  room,  and 
the  old  brass  andirons  glinted  in  its  glow. 
Neh-ah  was  sitting  in  her  usual  place,  and 
the  Boy,  taking  his,  said: 

"Neh-ah,  this  is  a  fine  evening  for  some 
more  stories  about  Old  Fox  and  Old  Coon. 
I  know  it  is  so  cold  outside  that  no  snakes 

[37] 


38  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

or  grass-hoppers  or  anything  else  will  hear 
you  telling  them." 

"Yooht!  What  fo'  you  don'  get  tired 
hear  'em  ol'  story?  Jus'  seem  like  you 
want  it  all  a  time,  ol'  story.  Guess  you 
betta'  go  you'  UncP  Jim,  Canada,  cause  he 
could  tole  you  that  kin'  Injun  story,  all  kin' 
'til  you  get  tired  to  lis'n.  Long  'go  when 
we  all  young  folks,  we  go  down  Gram'nia 
Hunt,  his  house,  winta'  time,  an'  jus'  lis'n 
to  ol'  story,  lots  of  'em.  Was  bes'  one  to  tell 
'em  story,  Gram'ma  Hunt.  Neva'  did  get 
tired  to  lis'n,  an'  he's  jus'  lik'  it  to  tole  us 
that  kin'  too.  Only  was  some  kin'  story 
jus'  fo'  0?  folks,  he  don'  tole  to  us  that 
ones. 

"What  'bout  I  tole  you  las'  time?  Oh, 
yes,  01'  Coon  he's  los'  it  his  good  gooses 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN  39 

suppa',  an'  01  Fox  he's  bin  fill  up  plenty. 

"Well,  seems  like  when  01  Coon  so 
mad  an'  mek  that  big  talk  'bout  how  he's 
lick  'im  that  Fox,  he's  heard  'im  sed  it, 
that  Mista'  Skunk;  so  that  Skunk,  he's 
jus'  go  right  now  an'  tole  'im  'bout  it 
that  Fox  what  he's  sed  it  that  Coon,  how 
he's  goin'  lick  'im.  Then  he  mad,  that 
Fox,  and  he  tell  'im  Skunk:  'You  jus' 
see,  I  lick  that  Coon,  myself,  fust  time 
I  seen  it.' 

"He'  don'  had  no  chance  fo'  few  day 
tho',  cause  that  Coon  he's  jus'  stay  at 
home,  cause  it's  bad  sore,  his  hand. 

"One  night,  it's  kin'a  late,  that  Coon 
he's  think,  'I  guess  I  go  ketch  'em  craw 
fish/  So  he's  go  down  by  riva'  an'  ketch 


40  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

'em  good  many,  take  'em  his  lodge  an' 
have  good  suppa'.  He  don'  take  it  no 
naps  this  time. 

"When  he's  done  his  suppa'  he's  jus' 
think,  'I  take  lit'l  walk  cause  don'  bin  no 
where,  long  time/  So  he's  start  out  'long 
riva  bank.  Eva'thing  jus'  seem  like  good 
to  that  01  Coon,  he's  jus'  trot  'long  sing 
low  like  to  he-self.  He's  jus'  like  happy, 
an'  jus'  keep  on  goin'.  By-um-by  he's 
get  sleep  like,  an'  jus'  wish  he's  back  his 
lodge;  but  it's  long  ways,  so  he  sed  it: 
'I  fin'  some  place  take  nap.'  Right  that 
time  he's  come  'long  clos'  by  that  big  tree 
What  he's  seen  it  01'  Fox.  Jus'  grow 
leanin'  ova'  wata.'  01'  Coon,  he's  think  it 
good  place,  so  he's  clim'  up  in  lit'l  fork 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN.  41 

limb.     He's  jus'  fix  good  'bout  go  sleep, 
an'  he's  hear  somethin'. 

"It's  big  moon  yet,  an'  jus'  bright.  OP 
Coon  he's  look  down  riva'-bank  an'  he's 
see  it  comin'  01  Fox,  jus'  trot  'long  trail. 
He's  jus'  keep  still,  OP  Coon,  like  he's 
sleep;  but  he's  look  straight  down  unda' 
him  an'  he's  see  his  shadow  in  wata',  looks 
jus'  like  him.  He's  look  at  that  OP  Fox 
an'  he's  lookin'  at  that  shadow,  too.  He's 
jus'  lookin'  m-a-d,  an'  OP  Coon  he's  hear 
him  sed  it,  OP  Fox:  'Here  it  is  that 
Coon,  in  wata'  lookin'  fo'  craw-fish  now.  I 
jus'  slip  up  an'  jump  on  'im  give  'im 
lickin'.'  So,  Fox  he's  jus'  slip  up  edge 
riva'-bank,  eye  jus'  snappin'.  He  jus' 
mek  big  jump  down  in  wata'  where  he 


42  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

think  it  that  Coon.  He  jus'  make  it  b-i-g 
splosh,  an'  prit'  soon  come  up  top  wata? 
an'  he's  jus'  sputtah  an'  blow  b-i-g,  jus' 
like  almos'  choke  'im.  Then  he's  hear 
that  Coon  up  in  tree  jus'  laff  1-o-u-d,  an' 
say:  'Hey,  Couzzen,  it's  early  to  swim, 
ain't  it?  I  hear  Gran'fatha  Turtle  he 
sed  it,  you  mustn't  jump  when  you  don' 
'look,  an'  you  mustn't  be  too  hurry/ 

"That  Fox  he's  crawl  out  on  bank  an' 
he's  jus'  sheever.  He  don'  sed  nothin',  jus' 
commence  pick  up  stick  an'  brushes  an' 
pile  it  foot  of  tree,  lit'l  ways  clos'  to  mek 
fire.  He's  put  1-o-t-s  stick  an'  mek  it 
big  fire,  an'  when  it's  burn  good,  he's  jus' 
sit  down  foot  that  tree,  that  Fox,  jus' 
like  he  stay  there'  till  he's  come  down  tree, 
that  Coon. 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN.  43 

"Prif  soon,  Coon  he's  sed  it:  'My 
Couzzen,  sure  you  not  goin'  set  tha'  long 
time.  You  coat  lots  wet,  mebbe  so  ketch 
'em  bad  cold.  I  glad  to  come  down  talk 
to  you,  mebbe  so  gif  some  my  tobacco  to 
smoke,  cause  must-a-be  wet  yours  afta' 
you  jump  in  riva'.  I  spec'  I  stay  here 
tho',  it'  best  one,  cause  I  could  see  good 
up  this  tree.  Mebbe  so  somebody  comin' 
long  to  botha'  you,  I  seen  it  an'  tole  you 
'bout  it.' 

"01  Fox  he  don'  sed  nothin',  jus'  set  by 
fire,  back  up  'gainst  tree,  an'  jus'  keep  it 
shut,  his  mouth.  It's  hard  work  tho',  that 
kin'.  That  Coon  he  could  drop  in  wata' 
an'  get  'way ;  but  he  jus'  think  he's  stay  in 
tree  an'  talk  an'  foolish  'im  his  couzzen. 


44  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

By-um-by,  he  sed  it:  'Well,  I  sleep  it  lit'l 
bit  now/  So,  he's  curl  up  an'  sleep  it. 

"Afta'  long  time  he's  woke  up.  It's 
shine  bright,  big  moon,  'way  high.  He's 
look  down  an'  its  settin'  by  tree  yet,  that 
Fox,  jus'  soun'  sleep  it.  Coon'  he's  jus' 
slip  down  e-a-s-y,  'til  he's  clos'  to  that 
Fox.  He  sleep  it  good,  could  heard  'im 
snore.  Coon,  he's  jump  easy  down  on 
groun'.  He  don'  move  nothin'  that  Fox, 
sure  'nough  sleep  it.  He's  bad  one,  that 
01'  Coon,  he's  jus'  take  it  long  one,  stick, 
dry  leaf  on  end,  an'  he's  tickle  it  his  nose, 
that  Fox;  but  he's  so  sleep  don'  botha'  him 
nothin'. 

"That  bad  one,  01'  Coon,  he  sed  it  to  he- 
self:  'It  prit'  good  chance,  mebbe  so  I 
make  it  'notha'  tricks  on  my  couzzen.' 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN.  45 

"So,  he's  jus'  slip  'long  down  by  riva'- 
bank  where  he  fin'  it  lots  sticky  mud,  it's 
red.  He's  get  big  one,  chunk,  that  muds 
an'  jus'  spread  on  flat  rock,  an'  put  it  on 
wata',  jus'  stir  lit'l  bit  an'  make  it  heap 
sticky,  just  like  what  you  call  it,  moh-lass. 
Then  he's  took  it  that  muds  an'  jus'  rub 
all  ova'  his  face,  that  Fox,  put  lots  that 
muds  on  his  eye.  He's  jus'  step  back  lit'l 
bit,  that  Coon,  an'  look  at  him,  that  Fox, 
an'  he's  jus'  laff  good  to  he-self,  an'  sed 
it:  'My  poor  couzzen  sure  have  good 
time  to  wash  it  face  in  mornin',  if  it's  dry 
good  that  muds.  I  spec'  I  start  home  now, 
mebbe  so  it's  time.' 

"Well,  he's  started  that  01  Coon  an'  go 
lit'l  piece,  then  he's  jus'  roll  ova'  on  groun' 
an'  jus'  laff  big  at  that  Fox  'till  he's  tired. 


46  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

"It's  'bout  gone  that  moon,  jus'  comin* 
daylight  in  east,  when  he's  woke  up  that 
Fox.  What's  matta'  ?  He's  woked  up  sure ; 
but  can't  see  nothin',  can't  open  it  his  eye, 
not  jus'  lit'l  bit.  He's  jus'  stagger  an' 
run  into  stump  an'  bush,  jus'  fall  down, 
almos'  tumble  in  riva'.  It  be  good  thing 
he  did,  cause  soak  it  up  that  muds;  but 
he  don'  done  it. 

"He's  jus'  rub  it  that  dried  muds  but 
he  don'  come  off,  an'  eye  jus'  stick  'em 
tight  shut,  can't  open.  He's  sure  bad  fix 
this  time,  an'  jus'  m-a-d  like  dickens.  Jus' 
sed  it  all  a  bad  name  could  think  of  'bout 
that  01'  Coon,  jus'  cuss  him  heap,  I  guess. 
It's  don'  do  no  good  that  kin'  tho'. 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN.  47 

"Well,  he  try  to  find  path  go  to  his 
lodge,  but  jus'  get  tangle  up  in  briar- 
patch,  an'  it's  stuck  'im  all  ova'.  It's  b-a-d 
lucks  fo'  him  that  Fox,  sure.  He  jus'  don' 
know  what  do  nex'.  So,  he's  jus'  set  still 
lit'l  bit,  study  what  do.  Prit'  soon  he's 
hear,  tap,  tap,  tap,  on  dead  limb  'way  up 
high  his  head.  He's  lis'n  'gen  an'  heard 
it,  tap,  tap,  tap. 

"  'Yoh-ho,  my  fren','  he's  sed  it,  'come 
here,  got  big  trouble  me,  mebbe  so  you 
could  he'p  it.' 

"It's  come  fly  down  hurry,  that  lit'l 
speckle  wood-pecker  bird,  an'  sed  it; 
' What's  mattah,  my  fren',  what  I  can  do 
he'p  it  you  now?' 

"Fox  he  say:     'I  like  to  have  you  tried 


48  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

it,  pickin'  this  dry  muds  off  my  eye,  so's 
I  could  see  how  open  it  my  eye/ 

"  'Mebbe  so,  it's  too  much  sharp  my 
bill',  it's  sed  it  that  wood-pecker  bird.  *I 
pick  'em  prit'  hard,  but  I  see  what  I  do,  I 
don'  hurt  you,  I  can  he'p  it.'  So  it's  go 
to  work,  wood-pecker  bird,  jus'  set  on  end 
his  nose,  that  Fox,  an'  pick  'em  e-e-a-s-y 
as  can,  but  it's  sure  make  'im  come  blood, 
cause  it's  sh-a-r-p  that  wood-pecker  bird, 
his  bill.  Well,  that  Fox  he  could  see  how 
open  it  his  eye,  prit'  soon  an'  jus'  looks 
good  to  him,  eva'thing.  That  lit'l  bird 
tell  'im  to  washin'  his  face  good  in  riva'. 

"That  01'  Fox,  he's  feelin'  kin'  a  good 
'gen,  an'  jus'  thank  it  that  wood-pecker 
bird,  an'  sed  it:  What  I  can  do  fo'  you, 


OLD  Fox  MEETS  His  COUSIN.  49 

my  fren',  cause  you  sure  do  big  he'p  with 
me?' 

"That  lit'l  wood-pecker  bird  he  sed  it: 
'Oh,  my  fren',  long  time  I  jus'  wish  I 
could  had  it  on  my  head,  lit'l  spot,  red 

jus'  1-e-e-t'l  one  spot,  not  big  one  like  he's 
got,  Great  Wood-pecker,  Quank-quank- 
queh.' 

"Fox  he's  sed  it:  'That's  good,  my  fren', 
I  fix  it  that  lit'l  spot,  red  one.'  So  he's 
took  it  some  blood  on  his  face  where  it's 
drop  down,  an'  he's  paint  it  lit'l  spot,  red 
one,  on  his  head,  that  lit'l  she  wood-pecker 
bird.  It's  jus'  stay  there,  too,  that  spot, 
eva'  since. 

"Oh,  he's  so  glad  that  lit'l  she  wood 
pecker  bird,  jus'  fly  up  in  tree  an'  try  his 


50  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

bes'  sing,  but  can't  do  it  much.  Well,  he's 
got  it  red  spot  anyway,  an'  jus'  lots  happy. 
"That  Fox,  he's  jus'  trot  off  on  trail 
'long  riva'  an'  try  to  think  what  could  do 
get  even  with  him,  that  Coon." 


V. 

OLD   COON   VISITS   THE   SUGAR 
BUSH. 

The  Father  had  been  mending  a  crack  in 
one  of  the  Mother's  treasured  old  maple- 
wood  bowls,  made  more  than  a  century 
ago  by  a  Wyandot,  when  the  tribe  lived  in 
Canada,  along  the  beautiful  Detroit. 

The  Boy  having  watched  the  work  of 
pouring  the  melted  lead  into  the  broken 
place  in  the  bowl,  turned  to  his  aunt  and 
said: 

"Neh-ah,  you  and  I  will  make  sugar  this 
year.  We'll  tap  the  trees  down  along  the 
bluff,  and  have  some  real  maple  syrup.  We 

[51] 


52  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

can  take  our  lunch  every  day  and  have  a 
sure  enough  camp.  You  can  tell  me  stories 
while  we  boil  down  the  sap/' 
Neh-ah  nodded  assent  and  replied: 
"Yes,  that  jus'  like  you,  always  think 
some  way  to  get  story.  Anyhow,  I  don'  tole 
you  yet,  what  he's  do  nex'  01'  Fox  an'  Coon, 
an'  what  you  talk  'bout  'minds  me  of  it. 
He's  always  mek  it  maple-suga'  Ouendots. 
It's  lots  a  work,  too,  but  he  don'  care  fo' 
that.  Could  jus'  keep  'im  busy  do  somethin' 
all  a  time.  Don'  had  no  clock,  no  ah-man-ac 
them  days,  tell  'em  how  much  time  gone. 
I  spec'  don'  get  ol'  so  quick,  peoples  them 
days." 

"Well,  days  bin  get  lit'l  long,  sun  he's 
start  go  back  north.    It's  time  come  bright 


OLD  COON  VISITS  THE  SUGAR  BUSH.      53 

night  an'  frosty  mornin',  an'  kin'  a  warm 
sunshine  day-time.  It's  jus'  'bout  time  go 
suga'-bush,  those  people,  tap  tree  an' 
mek  'em  maple  suga'.  Jus'  make  lots  of 
it,  put  in  mo-cocks,  use  in  winta'  time. 
It's  kin'  a  hard  works  mek'em  suga'  them 
days,  'cause  got  to  mek-em  lots  trough 
birch-bark,  ketch'em  sap.  He's  got  b-i-g 
trough  too,  mek'em  out  a  big  log.  Don' 
had  no  kettle  them  days;  jus'  have  to  put 
'em  hot  rock  in  big  trough;  but  he  don' 
care  fo'  nothin'  them  peoples,  don'  care  fo' 
hundred  snakes,  'cause  he's  jus'  got  lots  a 
times,  them  days.  Don'  got  no  times  do 
nothin'  now  days. 

"Jus'  'bout  this  time  year,  he's  jus'  like 
it  to  follow  them  peoples  to  suga-bush, 
that  Coon.  He's  alway  jus'  like  it,  poke 


54  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

'roun'  in  suga'-carnp,  come  night,  an  he's 
sleep  it  them  peoples.  That  01'  Coon  he's 
jus'  1-i-k-e  it  to  put  it  his  nose  in  trough 
an'  drink  it  lit'l  bit  sap,  s-w-e-e-t  one.  He 
like  it  good  that  sap,  an'  sometime  if  he 
don'  found  it  in  lit'l  trough,  he's  try  to  get 
one  drink  out'a  that  b-i-g  trough.  It's 
hard  to  do  that  one  tho',  cause  mebbe  it's 
prit'  hot  that  sap  in  big  trough,  an'  it's 
always  jus'  keep  cover  up  that  big  trough 
with  nice  boa'ds,  white  ones,  jus'  mek  it 
out'a  lin-wood,  them  peoples. 

"Afta'  he's  put  it  on  that  Fox  that  dry 
muds,  it's  long  time  no  seen  each  otha'  that 
Fox  an'  that  Coon.  He  jus'  thought  it 
01'  Coon,  it's  prit'  near  even  to  him,  that 
Fox;  an'  mebbe  so  he  won't  try  nothin' 
notha'  kin'  tricks.  He  don'  want  see  'im 


OLD  COON  VISITS  THE  SUGAR  BUSH.      55 

tho',  an'  jus'  keep  out  a  way,  cause  he 
might  try  mek'  'notha'  tricks  on  'im,  that 
Fox.  It's  jus'  go  on  that  way  fo'  days, 
an'  01  Coon  jus'  'bout  think:  'Well,  I 
guess  mebbe  so  he's  fo'get  it,  that  las'  trick, 
my  couzzen.' 

"But  that  Fox,  he  don'  fo'get  it  nothin', 
no  seh.  He's  prit'  sharp,  an'  he  jus'  all  a 
time  got  it,  that  what  you  call  'em — 
Vatch-full-a-waitin'.  He's  know  it  01 
Fox,  'bout  his  couzzen  all  a  time  likes  to 
foolish  'roun'  that  suga'-bush,  when  that 
peoples  he's  mekin'  suga',  an'  he's  know 
it  how  he  like  it  to  drink  that  sap,  heap 
s-w-e-e-t.  So,  he's  just  keep  it,  his  'watch- 
full-a-waitin/  an'  when  Skunk  tole  'im: 
*01e  Coon  not  home,  bin  gone  three-fou' 


56  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

days/  that  Fox  jus'  sed  it:  'I  spec'  mebbe 
so  it's  gone  suga'bush,  my  couzzen,  I 
guess  I  go  see/ 

"Well,  he's  start  that  Fox  to  go  suga'- 
bush.  It's  fine  days  an'  when  gets  there, 
jus'  see  all  a  peoples  heap  busy,  work. 
Fox  he's  jus'  slip  'roun'  edge  ov  camp,  all- 
a-time  he's  lookin'  fo'  sign  ov  that  Coon. 
He's  look  1-o-n-g  time,  an'  by-um-by  he's 
fin'  tracks  'long  edge  lit'l  branch,  that 
Coon'  he's  bin  lookin'  crawfishes,  mebbe  so. 

"It's  late  in  evenin',  while  he's  sleep  it 
some  place  that  Coon,  01'  Fox  he's  jus'  get 
busy.  Afta'  that  peoples  he's  gone  to  all 
lit'l  ones,  trough,  to  get  it,  sap,  Fox  he's 
come  'long  behin',  an'  he's  jus'  turn  it, 
bottom  up,  eva'  one  that  lit'l  trough.  Then 


OLD  COON  VISITS  THE  SUGAR  BUSH.      57 

he's  go  look  in  big  trough.  It's  prit'  near 
full  sap,  it's  hot. 

"So  he's  sne-e-k  'roun'  some  mo'  an' 
watch  it  good  ol'  squaw  cover  it  big  trough, 
all  good  with  that  white  boa'd.  He's  jus' 
watch  it  'roun'  'till  it's  all  fix  it,  eva'thing, 
an'  them  peoples  it's  all  sleep  it.  Then  that 
Fox  he's  slip  up  by  big  trough,  an  jus'  push 
it  two  that  boa'ds,  lit'l  'ways'  part. 

"Well,  he's  jus'  push  it  ova'  them  two 
boa'ds  'til  end  of  it  right  on  edges  ov  big 
trough.  It's  smell  good  that  sap,  prit'  near 
mak'  'em  Fox  want  some  he-self;  but  he 
don'  botha'  it,  'fraid  might  ketch  'im  his 
own  trap,  I  spec'.  When  he's  all  done  fix 
it,  that  Fox,  he's  jus'  go  lit'l  ways,  hide  in 
bushes  an'  watch  for  him,  that  Coon.  He's 


58  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

wait  long  time,  an'  by-um-by  he's  hear  it 
comin'  somebody,  jus'  grumblin'  to  he- 
self.  It's  that  01'  Coon,  an'  Fox  he's  hear 
him  sed  it:  'Wonda'  what  fo'  so  steengy, 
them  peoples;  jus'  turn  'em  upside  bottom 
all  lit'l  trough.  Can't  fin'  lit'l  bit  sap. 
Mebbe  I  could  get  drink  on  big  trough  if 
don'  turn  it  upside  bottom,  too.' 

"01  Fox  he's  keep  it  still,  jus'  kin'  a 
chuckle  tho',  cause  he  knows  goin'  ketch 
'im  that  trap  what  he  fix  it  fo'  01'  Coon. 

"That  Coon  jus'  come  pokin'  long  slow 
like,  till  he  fin'  it  that  big  trough.  He's 
jus'  walk  all  'roun'  kin'  a  easy,  jus'  sniffin' 
an'  lookin'  fo'  crack.  Fox  he's  fix  it  chunk 
right  front  where  he's  fix  it  that  boa'ds, 
an'  that  01  Coon  he's  jump  on  that  chunk, 


OLD  COON  VISITS  THE  SUGAR  BUSH.      59 

his  nose  stick  up  in  air,  an*  jus'  get  good 
whiff  that  saps.  It's  kin'  a  hot  Well,  he's 
set  on  chunk  lit'l  bit  an'  jus'  lookin  roun'. 
He  don't  seen  nothing  then  he's  jus'  mek 
'notha'  jump  an'  he's  Ian'  right  on  end  ov 
that  boa'ds  what's  he  push  it  ova'  that  Fox. 
That  boa'ds  he  jus'  slide  ova'  otha'  way 
queek,  an'  that  01  Coon  he's  jus'  go  ker- 
plum  in  that  hot  saps. 

"Them  boa'ds  make  big  rattle  noise  an* 
it's  wake  'im  up  that  01'  Squaw.  He's 
come  out  lodge  see  what's  matta'  an'  come 
by  that  big  trough  jus'  time  he's  crawl  out 
01'  Coon.  He's  got  big  stick  in  his  han' 
that  squaw,  an'  jus'  hit  that  Coon  good 
whack  on  side  when  he's  run  'way.  He's 
jus'  go  hurry,  01'  Coon,  an'  by-um-by  when 


60  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

he's  go  thro'  bush,  somebody  sed  it:  'Hoh, 
Couzzen,  you  like  it  to  take  good  wash  in 
hot  sap,  ain't  it?  Mebbe  so  ain't  good  'nough 
wata'?" 


VI. 


OLD  FOX  AND  OLD  COON  BOTH  TRY 
A  NEW  VENTURE. 

"Neh-ah.  you  said  there  was  one  more 
story  about  Old  Fox  and  Old  Coon  and  that 
it  was  a  long  one,  too.  Now,  this  evening 
while  everyone  else  is  gone  and  just  you 
and  I  are  sitting  by  the  fire,  won't  you  tell 
it  to  me?  I'll  go  down  cellar  and  get  some 
of  those  apples  we  like  so  well,  and  we'll 
have  a  regular  party." 

After  his  return  with  the  apples,  ani 
after  putting  some  hickory  logs  on  the  fire, 
the  Boy  seated  himself  in  his  accustomed 
place  and  waited  for  the  story. 

[61] 


62  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

"I  wonda'  what's  goin'  do  when  it's  all 
gone,  story.  If  you  bin  live  long  time  'go, 
ol'  man  they  took  you,  an'  jus'  mek  story 
tella'  out  o'  you,  so  you  could  tell  'em  all  a 
young  mans  when  you  get  be  oP  man.  Now- 
days  jus'  have  book  an'  noose-paypa'  an' 
eva'thing  an'  write  down.  It's  seem  funny 
to  Injun  first  time  he  know  that  kin',  jus' 
think  white  man  mek  paypa'  talk.  Mebbe 
so  you  could  write  it  somethin'  story,  some 
day,  then  won't  have  tell  'em,  just  could 
read  it'  anybody. 

"Las'  time,  that  OF  Coon  jus'  bin  foolin' 
'roun'  suga'-camp,  aint  it?  Good  fo'  nothin' 
jus'  spoil  it  all  big  trough  sap  fo'  that  poor 
ol'  Injun  woman.  Anyhow,  'bout  that  time, 
spring  jus'  begin  think  'bout  turnin'  ova'. 


THEY  TRY  4  NEW  VENTURE.  63 

"Them  days  jus'  get  some  mo'  long. 
South  wind,  he's  come  now  an'  mek  it 
all  broke  up  ice  in  riva'  an'  jus'  go  float 
'way.  It's  kind  a  blue  smoky  all  'roun'  an' 
you  could  smell  it  that  brush  an'  leaf  it's 
bin  burnin',  caus'  it's  garden  patch  clean  up 
them  peoples.  Buds  on  tree  it's  swell  up 
an'  no  mo'  peoples  in  suga'bush,  all  gone 
back  to  village.  Prit'  soon  plant  corn  patch, 
when  leaf  on  hick'ry  tree  'bout  big  as  squir 
rel,  his  ear. 

"That  Coon  don'  see  it,  01'  Fox,  since 
time  01'  Coon  he's  fall  in  big  trough.  Some 
body  sed  it  he's  gone  mek  visit  with  fren' 
'way  down  end  of  lake,  Ol'  Fox. 

"Coon,  he's  jus'  study  all  a  time  how 
get  even  on  that  Fox  fo'  las'  trick  he's  bin 


64  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

play.  Jus'  think  all  kinds,  cause  he's  want 
make  'em  bes'  trick  yet  on  that  Fox,  cause 
he's  prit'  mad  to  him  yet. 

"Well,  South  Wind  he's  drive  it  all  'way 
that  snow  and  ices,  even  that  patches  'long 
north  side  hills.  Early  mornin'  you  could 
heard  it  lots  wild  gooses  and  cluck.  Jus' 
go,  'honk,  honk/  like  what  you  call  it — 
auto'bile,  when  jus'  go  'long  road  like 
dickens,  an'  seen  somethin,  in  road,  now- 
days.  That  goose  an'  ducks  he's  comin' 
back  from  south,  an'  he's  jus'  stop  ova', 
visit  few  days  all  'long.  Could  fin'  it  lots 
good  eat  in  marsh  'long  riva',  jus'  'fore  it's 
run  in  lake. 

"01'  Coon  an'  eva-body  jus'  glad  to  see 
come  back,  an'  jus'  holla  to  him  somethin' 


THEY  TRY  A  NEW  VENTURE.  65 

when  he's  fly  ova.  He's  all  a  time  glad 
ketch  'em  two-three,  too,  if  he  could  do  it, 
foolish  'em  or  somehow. 

"One  day,  sun  mo'  than  half  ova',  01' 
Coon  he's  start  out  try  to  ketch  'em  goose. 
It's  lots  of  'em  down  marsh,  an'  he's  want 
try  new  way  ketch  'em.  He's  jus'  slippin' 
'long  e-a-s-y  like,  riva'-bank,  an'  he's  meet 
'im  Lit'l  Fox,  it's  his  nephew,  OF  Fox.  He's 
live  with  'im,  his  uncle,  an'  he's  treat  'im 
mean,  all  a  time,  that  uncle.  Jus'  mek 
'im  work  hard,  that  po'  lit'l  nephew,  an' 
feed  'im  nothin'  'cep'  scraps.  Eva-body 
know  that  kind,  an'  jus'  feel  sorrow  fo'  it, 
cause  that  uncle  jus'  whip  it  an'  mean  to 
it  all  a  time.  He's  prit'  near  starve',  you 
could  count  it  his  rib,  an'  jus'  few  hair  on 


66  TALES  OF  THE  BAKK  LODGES. 

it,  his  tail.  Seem  like,  all  a  time,  he's  goin' 
dodge  somethin'  that  lit'l  fella'. 

"His  garden-patch,  01'  Fox,  it's  good 
one,  beans,  pumpkin,  eva'thing  all  good; 
cause  that  nephew  an'  his  aunt  jus'  work 
it  plenty.  01'  Fox,  he  don't  work  lit'l  bit, 
but  he's  jus'  all  a  time  brag  it  that  garden- 
patch,  an'  he's  always  tole  it  that  nephew: 
'Took  care  of  it  my  garden-patches/ 

"Well,  that  time  when  he's  met  'im  01' 
Coon,  that  Lit'l  Fox,  he's  look  like  he  feel 
prit'  good,  that  lit'l  fella,  an'  he's  tole  it  to 
01'  Coon,  his  uncle  bin  gone  on  visit  'way 
down  lake.  01  Coon  he's  always  feel  sor 
row  for  'im,  that  lit'l  fella,'  an'  jus'  all  a 
time  be  good  to  him.  Jus'  take  him  go 
hunt,  an'  showed  it  an'  tole  it  lots  a  things 


THEY  TRY  A  NEW  VENTURE.  67 

'bout  how  to  hunt.  He's  tole  'im  tho'  musn't 
tell  'im  you  uncle,  cause  it  jus'  mek  'im 
mean  to  lit'l  fella'  some  mo'.  So,  when  he 
seen  'im  that  time,  01'  Coon,  he's  sed  it: 
'Well,  Lit'l  Fella',  my  couzzen,  what  you 
look  fo'  this  time,  is  it  come  home  you 
uncle?' 

"Lit'l  Fox  he's  say:  'Mebbe  so  he's  come 
back  tomorro'  mornin'.  Mr.  Skunk  he's 
tole  him  las'  night,  my  aunt,  when  he's 
stop  lit'l  bit  our  lodge.  We  bin  all  clean 
up  garden-patches,  an'  I  jus'  think  I  go 
hunt  it  some  game.'  OP  Coon  sed  it: 
'Well,  young  fella',  jus'  stayed  by  me.  I 
got  good  way,  new  one,  try  to  ketch  'em 
gooses,  mek  'em  good  one  dinner,  bofe  of 
us,  mebbe.'  Lit'l  fella,  he  sed  it:  'Uncle* 


•68  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

you  all  a  time  mek  good  one,  hunt,  good 
one  ketch  'em,  all  a  time  kill  'em  ten,  I 
spec'  so  we  ketch  'em  heap  this  time.' 

"So,  they  jus'  trot  'long  togetha'  an'  01' 
Coon  jus'  'splain  'bout  that  new  way  ketch 
'em  gooses.  He's  goin'  fin'  it  lit'l  bunch 
gooses  what's  bin  eat  plenty,  an'  jus'  swim- 
inin'  'roun',  prit'  clos'  to  sho.'  Cause  if  he 
belly  full,  he  don'  think  'bout  nothin'  botha' 
'im,  he's  sed  it,  that  Coon.  He's  got  long 
rope,  lit'l  one,  what  he's  made  out  sof 
bark.  It's  stout  one,  too,  an'  he's  tie  on  it 
that  rope,  three-fou'  slip-knot.  When  he's 
fin'  it  lit'l  bunch  gooses,  he's  goin'  dive  in 
wata'  an'  swim  unda'  where's  that  gooses, 
an'  put  it  that  slip-knots  ova'  his  foots, 
many  as  he  wants  them  gooses.  Jus'  jerk 


THEY  TRY  A  NEW  VENTURE.  69 

'em  queek  an'  swim  to  bank  an'  pull  'em 
in  them  goose. 

"Well,  afta-whiles  they  fin'  it  lit'l  bunch 
ov  gooses,  an'  that  Coon  he's  tried  that  new 
way  ketch  'em.  Prit'  soon  he's  got  three 
ov  it,  jus'  like  he  sed  it.  It's  su'ah  good  ketch 
'em  that  way.  They  jus'  go  on  some  mo' 
an'  by-um-by  seen  it  'notha'  lit'l  bunches 
goose.  He's  swim  it  close  to  bank.  01'  Coon 
he  sed  it:  'Lit'l  Couzzen,  you  like  tried  it 
this  time?  It's  good  chance.'  So,  lit'l  fella' 
he's  take  that  string  an'  he's  go  afta'  it  that 
gooses,  an'  prit'  soon  he's  swim  to  bank  jus' 
pullin  three  fat  goose.  He's  jus'  feel  b-i-g, 
that  lit'l  fella,  an  OF  Coon  he's  jus'  glad  f o' 
him  too. 

"So  then,  start  home  an'  OP  Coon  sed  it: 
'To-morro'  go'  gen,  lit'l  fella',  cause  won't 


70  TALES  OP  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

stay  long  now  them  goose,  jus'  go  north.  I 
come  by  you  lodge  when  sun  jus'  pass  mid- 
del,  an'  we  go  ketch  'em  some  mo'  lots  a 
gooses  mebbe.' 

"Nex'  day  01'  Coon  he's  go  down  by  that 
place  what  he  sed  it;  but  he  ain't  there,  Lit'l 
Fox.  He's  wonda'  what's  matta  lit'l  fella, 
don'  come.  He's  look  prit'  soon  an'  seen  it 
that  lit'l  fella'  jus'  workin'  hard  in  that 
garden-patches.  Coon  he's  jus'  whistle  low 
like,  an'  that  lit'l  fella'  he's  heard  it  an'  he's 
come  down  there  where  is  it  01  Coon. 

"Coon,  he's  sed  it:  'Well,  what's  matta'? 
Le's  go  ketch  'em  gooses  'gen.'  That  lit'l 
fella's  he's  jus'  look  sorrow,  an'  he's  tell  it, 
01'  Coon,  can't  go,  cause  his  uncle,  it's  come 
home.  He  say  his  uncle  ask  'im  how  he's 


THEY  TRY  A  NEW  VENTURE.  71 

ketch  it  that  gooses,  an'  when  he  tole  him,  he 
sed  it  why  don'  ketch  'em  'mo',  he  sed  it  his 
uncle :  'I  could  eat  all  of  it  that  many  my 
self.'  Lit'l  fella'  sed  it,  'I  tole  'im  go  'gen  to 
day,  but  uncle  jus'  say,  he  go  he-self,'  an'  tole 
him  lit'l  fella'  get  long  rope,  stout  one,  bes' 
he  could  find,  cause  he's  goin'  try  ketch  'em 
gooses,  he-self.  So  lit'l  fella'  say  he  got  'im 
good  rope  fo'  his  uncle,  an'  that  uncle  he  jus' 
went  down  to'wa'ds  lake  to  tried  it  his  lucks. 
He  tole  him,  lit'l  fella'  to  stayed  home  an' 
clear  out  'notha'  garden-patches.  That  Lit'l 
Fox  he's  jus'  look  sorrow,  an'  that  Coon  he's 
lis'n  to  him,  an'  jus'  thinkin'  lit'l  bit. 

"By-um-by  they  jus'  heard  it  'way  down 
by  lake,  b-i-g  squawk  noise,  an'  lots  a  honk, 
honk,  soun'  like  lots  a  auto'biles,  I  guess, 


72  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES. 

jus  soun'  funny'  like  holla'  lots  a  gooses. 
Jus'  bofe  stop  talk  an'  lis'n.  Seems  like 
comin'  close  by,  so  that  Coon  an  lit'l  fella' 
jus'  run  top  lit'l  hill,  it's  close  by,  where 
could  see  betta'  down  on  lake.  It's  look  that 
way,  an'  could  seen  it  b-i-g  bunch  gooses, 
jus'  fly  eva'  which  way  an'  down  low,  jus' 
make  lots  a  squawkin'  an'  honk-honk  noises. 
That  Coon  an'  lit'l  fella'  jus'  look  at  each 
otha',  like  say,  what's  matta'?  Prit  soon 
it's  kin  a  strat'en  out  that  bunch  a  goose, 
jus'  fly  mo'  high  up,  an'  then  start  out 
fly  comin'  this  way.  When  it's  come  lit'l 
close,  looks  like  they  could  seen  it  some- 
thin'  hang  down,  jus'  swingin'  like,  unda' 
that  bunch  a  gooses.  Jus'  comin  close  now, 
'bout  fly  right  ova'  where  it  is  that  Coon 
an'  Lit'l  Fox.  Then  they  seen  it,  what  'tis; 


THEY  TRY  A  NEW  VENTURE.  73 

it's  that  Or  Fox.  That  rope  it's  tie  tight  on 
his  middel,  an'  it  got  lots  goose  foots  tie  on 
it  too.  He's  jus'  swingin',  looks  like  ridin' 
good.  When  he's  go  by  close,  he's  jus' 
holla'  1-o-u-d,  that  01'  Fox  an'  sed  it: 
'Nephew,  took  good  care  my  garden- 
patches,'  an'  jus'  keep  right  on  ridin'  f-a-s-t. 

"01'  Coon,  he's  try  it  not  to  smile  an'  he's 
say:  'Well,  Lit'l  Fella,  I  guess  mebbe  so, 
he  tied  it  too  much  goose  foots  on  his 
string,  you  uncle,  he's  got  prit'  good  string 
seem  like.  It's  new  way  travel,  but  I  spec' 
he  go  long  ways  an'  fin'  it  new  place, 
mebbe  so.  I  spec'  not  come  back,  long  time, 
mebbe  so  betta'  go  some  tell  him,  you  aunt.' 

"That  01  Fox  he  prit'  smart,  afta'.  all, 
I  spec'  mebbe  so  he's  first  one  ride  on  airy- 
plane,  ain't  it?" 


VII. 

A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE. 

"Neh-ah,  in  the  last  story,  Old  Fox  was 
certainly  'right  up  to  date/  wasn't  he?  He 
had  an  aeroplane  with  a  motor  that  couldn't 
go  dead  on  him,  and  besides,  he  had  a  honk- 
honk  that  could  scare  everything  out  of  the 
way.  Now  that  there  aren't  any  more 
stories  about  Old  Fox  and  Old  Coon,  I  won 
der  what  you  are  going  to  tell  me  next. 
I'll  read  you  some  more  of  the  'Arabian 
Nights'  and  you  can  think  up  some  others." 
<rWell,  that  good,  but  spec'  betta'  tole  you 
'notha'  one  tonight,  cause  jus'  bin  think 
'bout  it  today,  when  you  tole  to  me  'bout  it 

[74] 


A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE  75 

that  air-ship  race,  you  read  in  noose-pay- 
pa'.  That  one  'mind  me  'bout  it,  and  jus* 
think  it  all  ova'  this  afta'noon  while  I'm 
piecin'  quilt. 

"It's  'bout  one  o'  you  great-gran'fathas  I 
'spec,'  'cause  you  b'long  to  Big  Turtle  clan, 
jus'  same  as  me  and  you'  motha',  an'  our 
motha,'  cause  all  a  childrens  have  to  b'long 
same  clan  as  motha'.  Long  'go,  always  bin 
lots  a  good  chief  an'  warrior  in  Big  Turtle 
clan.  He's  leader  long  'go,  way  back,  don' 
know  how  many  hund'ed  years.  Lots  ol' 
story  tole  'bout  it.  Big  Turtle  he's  hoi'  the 
world  on  his  back  fo'  long  time.  Some  day 
I  tole  you  'bout  it. 

"That  01'  Turtle,  he's  the  one,  he  smart 
all  a  time.  He  jus'  same  since  long  time 


76  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

'go,  all  a  time  know  it  what  do.  He  can't 
scared  him  nobody,  an'  can't  beat  'im 
nothin'.  He's  eva'  time  come  out  'head. 

"That  why,  long  time  'go,  01'  Buffalo, 
he's  eatin'  'roun'  clos'  edge  of  timber.  He 
don't  hungry,  he's  jus'  bite  ova  here,  ova* 
tha'.  By-um-by  he  see  01'  Fox  in  bushes, 
he  sed  it:  'Yo-ho,  my  fren,'  come  ova' 
here,  I  like  tell  you  this/ 

"01'  Fox  he's  lit'l  smart  too;  he's  crawl 
out  trap  e-a-s-y;  he's  hard  to  fin'  it,  too, 
sometime  you  hunt  fo'  him.  He's  jus* 
wonda'  what's  want  01'  Buffalo,  an'  what's 
got  say;  but  he's  come  ova'  tha',  jus' 
jumpin'  easy  an'  he's  sed  it:  'Well,  my 
big  fren',  what  you  got  say?' 

"01'  Buffalo,  he  says:   'My  frien',  I  got 


A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE  77 

make  race  with  Turtle.  You  kind  a  smart, 
an'  you  got  sharp  eyes,  you  be  judge,  see 
who  beat  'em.  You  tell  him,  01'  Turtle, 
I  beat  'im  on  a  groun'  or  in  a  wata',  jus' 
how  he  like,  I  don'  care  nothin'.  You  tell 
'im  come  tomorro'  ova'  there  by  lake  when 
sun  come  up  jus'  'bout  high  as  sycamo' 

tree.  You  tell  eva-body  an'  he  can  come 
see  race.  I  be  down  tha',  you  tell  'im 
that,  OF  Turtle.  He's  always  best  one, 
eva'  time;  but  I  don't  think  he  could  run, 
it's  too  short  his  legs.  Mebbe  so  he's  run 
good  in  wata',  tho'.  Me  too,  I  could  run 
fas'  in  wata'  or  anyhow.  I  bet  I  could  beat 
'im'. 

"01'  Fox  he  say:    'I  tell  'im  01  Turtle 
an'  I  tell  'im  eva'body.     I  go  now/    So 


78  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

he's  go  down  by  his  lodge,  01'  Turtle,  an' 
tell  'im  all  what  he  sed  it,  01'  Buffalo. 

"That  Turtle,  he's  jus'  lis'n  an'  don'  say 
somethin'  for  long  time.  By-um-by  he 
say:  'That's  good,  I  run  race  on  wata'. 
First  one  come  to  that  island  ova'  there, 
he's  the  one  what  beat.  You  tell  'im,  0V 
Buffalo,  I  be  on  han'.  I  don'  say  jus'  what 
I'm  do,  but  I  do  'im.  To-morro',  wher^sun 
shine  good,  I  come.' 

"Fox,  he's  go  back  tell  'im,  01'  Buffalo, 
what  say  01'  Turtle.  All  what  he  see  on 
way,  he  tell  'em  'bout  race.  He  sed  it: 
*You  tell  'em  eva-body,  you  tell  'em  come.' 

"Nex'  day,  ain't  sun-up  yet,  01'  Wolf 
he's  go  down  by  lake.  He's  make  it  fire, 
make  smoke  jus'  go  straight  up,  so  can  see 
eva'body,  an'  by-um-by,  all  come. 


A  PKE-HISTORIC  RACE  79 

"Prif  soon  he's  come  along,  OP  Turtle; 
jus'  come  slow  an'  go  down  clos'  to  edge 
wata'.  He  don'  say  nothin',  jus'  go  slow, 
lookin'  'roun.'  Buffalo  an'  Pox  come  too, 
an'  bofe  jus'  talkin'  all  a  time.  Then  come 
eva'body,  Deer  an'  Bear,  Coon,  he  come 
too.  Turkey,  Prai'chicken,  Duck,  an' 
Quail,  Hawk  he's  tha'  too,  an'  Little  Turtle, 
Snipe,  an'  OP  Beaver,  Porkypine,  Snake, 
an'  Mud-Turtle;  it's  come  eva'body  I  guess. 

"While  all  jus'  talk  an'  visit  'roun', 
Buffalo  he's  go  down  where  OP  Turtle  he's 
settin'  close  to  edge  wata',  he  sed  it :  Well, 
my  fren',  you'  legs  prit'  short,  but  I  beat 
you  this  race,  I  think.'  Turtle  he  don' 
say  nothin',  jus'  lookin'  'cross  lake  to 
islan'.  Buffalo  sed  it:  Tou  say  we  race 


80  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

on  wata',  I  tell  my  fren'  Fox  be  judge. 
It's  high  rock  right  ova'  there,  so  Fox  he's 
clim'  up  an'  set  down,  an'  he  could  jus' 
seen  it,  eva'thin'. 

"Buffalo  sed  it:  'Well,  it's  re'dy.  Wolf, 
you  howl  it,  an'  hit  it  three  times  queek  on 
drum,  an'  we  start.'  Wolf,  he  say,  'AP- 
right',  an'  he  took  he  place.  Prit  soon  he's 
howl,  an'  hit  it  three  times  on  drum  queek  ; 
they  gone.  Buffalo  he's  swim  fast  to'ads 
islan'.  Turtle  he  jus'  slip  in  wata',  an' 
can't  see  him,  nobody.  He's  go  jus'  like 
that  wa'boat  you  tell  it  'bout  on  otha'  side 
Big  Wata';  that  Gemmany  Keeza'  sum- 
ma-rine,  unda'  wata',  an'  when  Buffalo 
jus'  lit'l  mo'  'an  half-way,  swimmin'  fas', 
01'  Turtle  jus'  crawl  out  slow  on  sho'  of 


A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE  81 

islan'.    Eva'body  looks  funny,  and  Pox  he's 
say:    Turtle  he's  beat  'im.' 

"Beaver'  he's  try  it  an'  Turtle  he's  beats 
'im.  Nex'  Deer  he  try;  he's  'way  behin* 
an'  Turtle  crawl  out  on  islan'.  Coon  he's 
sed  it:  'I  sure  can  beat  'im,  I  re'dy  now/ 
He's  jus'  got  start,  when  Turtle  crawl  out 
on  otha'  side.  Well,  then  Turkey  say:  'I 
want  beat  'im.'  He  can't  do  nothin'. 
Turtle  he's  right  on  islan'  when  Turkey 
he's  come.  Prai'chicken  he  say:  Tm 
good  racer,  I  could  beat  'im';  but  Turtle 
got  tired  waitin'  for  him  on  islan'  befo' 
Prai'chicken  got  tha'  an'  start  back.  Quail, 
he's  whist'l  big,  an'  sed  it:  'I'm  the  one 
could  beat  'im  Turtle/  Turtle  neva'  sed 
nothin',  jus'  get  re'dy.  They  start  an* 


82  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

befo'  eva'body  don*  heard  Quail,  his  wings 
any  mo',  Or  Turtle  he's  crawl  out  on 
islan'. 

"Pox,  he's  got  tired  sayin'  'Turtle's 
beat  'im';  so  he  said  it:  'You  can't  do  it, 
nobody.  You  can't  beat  'im,  Turtle.  He's 
good  racer  in  wata'  cause  he's  all  a  time 
good  swimma'.  All  what's  got  beat,  mus' 
gif  to  him  somethinV 

"Well,  all  them  fellas  what's  got  beat, 
Buffalo,  Deer,  Bear,  Raccoon,  Turkey, 
Prai'chicken,  an'  Quail,  they  jus'  cut  it  off 
lit'l  bit  they  own  meat.  They  gif  to  him, 
Turtle,  jus'  one  piece  to  time.  Turtle  he's 
took  it  each  lit'l  bit  when  they  gif  to  him ; 
don'  sed  nothin',  jus'  eat  all  of  it. 

"Then  Fox  he's  sed  it  somethin',  'gen: 
'Long  as  he  live  that  Turtle,  it  be  jus' 


A  PRE-HISTORIC  RACE  83 

same;  if  them  peoples  kill  'im  an'  roasted 
it  or  make  'em  soup,  it's  tasted  jus'  like 
all  a  kinds  game  meats.  Turtle,  he's  take 
it  first  place,  at  head  all  kin's  animal.  He 
wise  an'  brave,  an'  he  don'  all  a  time  talk, 
he's  do  somethinV 

"Turtle,  he  don'  sed  nothin'.  Jus'  ten' 
his  own  business,  don't  buck  in  nowhere. 
Don'  botha'  nobody.  It  was  that  way. 

"But  Turtle  he's  don'  tell  it  them  peoples 
that  ol'  Turtle,  his  brothah,  look  jus'  like 
'im,  live  on  that  islan'." 


VIII. 

THE  EAGLE  FEATHER. 

"That  race  you  told  me  about  was  a 
good  story,  Neh-ah,  anyway  that's  what  I 
think.  Can't  you  think  of  another  one 
about  Old  Turtle  to  go  with  it?" 

"It's  jus'  all  a  time  that  way.  I  tole  you 
one  an'  you  jus'  want  it  'notha'  one  kin' 
a  like  it  Some  day  it's  goin'  be  all  gone, 
story,  what  goin'  do  then?" 

"Oh,  let's  don't  think  about  that.  I  know 
you've  got  a  whole  lot  of  them  yet,  and  if 
you  do  run  out,  why  I'll  just  ask  for  some 
of  the  best  ones,  and  you  can  tell  them 

[84] 


THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  85 

again.  I  never  get  tired  of  listening  to  any 
of  them." 

"Yooht— you  jus'  like  that  OF  Turtle,  he 
jus'  get  the  best  of  'im  eva'body.  Don' 
botha  him  nothin'  an'  he's  just  all  a  time 
go  on  an'  'ten  to  his  own  bizness.  He  don' 
worry  'bout  it  something  he's  jus'  think  it 
out  some  way  eva-time  to  come  out  'head, 
an'  he's  do  it  too.  I  spec'  that's  why  he's 
good  leader,  cause  he  jus'  all  a  time  lis'n, 
an'  lookin'  an'  thinkin'  fo'  he-se'f. 

"Well,  I  tele  you  'bout  eagle  featha'. 
It's  bes'  kind  like  'em,  Injun.  Long  time 
'go,  can't  wear  it  eva'body;  womans,  he 
don'  wear  't  all,  an'  young  buck  he  couldn't 
wore  it  'till  he's  do  something  big.  OF 
time  it's  that  way.  Nowdays,  jus*  stick 


86  TALES  OP  THE  BAFK  LODGES 

'im  in  his  hat,  eagle  featha'  all  a  Injun, 
an'  any  body.  Jus'  same  like  that  iron 
crosses  what  he's  gif  to  all  he  so'jers,  that 
Gemmenny  Keeza',  you  read  me  'bout 
'em  in  paypa'. 

"It's  this  way  he's  get  it,  eagle  featha', 
first  time,  Injun.  It's  long  'go,  jus'  com 
mence  worl'  I  spec'.  It's  ol'  man  an'  he 
nephew  live  togetha',  jus'  them  two,  it's 
all  a  people,  them  days.  OP  man  he's  jus5 
stay  in  lodge  all  a  time.  Young  fella' 
he's  go  out  get  it,  game,  hunt.  Well,  one 
time  come  back  lodge,  don't  get  it  nothin'. 
Uncle  he's  ask  'im  what  got,  an'  young 
fella' sed  it:  'NothinV  Next  day  it's  same 
way,  an'  jus'  same  way,  'notha  times.  It's 
three  time,  then  when  come  back,  young 


THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  87 

fella',  an'  his  uncle  sed  it  'gen,  that  young 
fella'  sed  it:  'I  pull  it  out  eagle  featha',' 
an'  sure  'nough,  he's  got  it  that  featha'  in 
his  hand.  01'  man  he's  jus'  shook  it,  his 
head  an'  sed  it:  'Oh,  it's  a  big  danger.' 

"So  he's  tole  young  fella'  hang  it  that 
featha'  in  smoke  hole,  top  of  lodge.  He's 
do  it,  an'  prit'  soon  they  seen  it  that  eagle 
fly  slow  like,  ova'  that  smoke  hole.  He 
don'  got  that  featha'  tho'. 

"01'  man,  he's  sed  it  'gen:  'That's  a 
big  danger,  must  call  animals  to  Council. 
Musn't  let  get  it,  Eagle,  that  featha'.'  So 
young  fella'  he's  go  tell  'em  come  to  Coun 
cil,  'bout  that  danger.  By-um-by  they  all 
come;  Big  Turtle,  Otter,  Skunk,  Porkypine, 
an'  all  of  'em.  01'  man  tell  'em,  'We  musn't 


88  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

let  Eagle  an'  his  fellas  take  it  way  from 
us  that  feathaV  He's  pick  out  his  crowd 
to  hoi'  it  that  featha'.  All  them  animal 
jus'  talk  heap  'bout  what  he  can  do.  Some 
run  fas',  some  could  hide  good,  an'  some 
could  jus'  make  it  big  noise  to  scared  it 
anything.  OF  man  he's  tol'  Deer  don't  want 
'im,  cause  can't  run  fas'  'nough.  He  don' 
want  Wolf,  he's  too  much  howl,  an'  Bear 
cause  he's  too  much  all  a  time  sleep  it. 

"He's  pick  it  out  Big  Turtle,  Porkypine, 
an'  some  mo'  fo'  he  side.  Prit'  soon  they 
seen  it,  Eagle  jus'  fly  low  ova'  smoke  hole, 
'gen.  Some  them  fellas  what  he  don'  take 
it,  OP  Man  fo'  his  side,  jus'  get  mad  to 
him,  an'  sed  it:  'We  goin'  he'p  it,  Eagle/ 

"Turtle,  he's  slip  'roun'  an'  got  it  that 


THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  80 

featha',  an'  tole  it  his  men:  'Le's  go/ 
They  start  off  lit'l  ways  an'  come  to  big 
tree.  Turtle  sed  it:  'Le's  dim'  up/  So 
all  of  'em  clim'  tree.  They  look  'way  off 
an'  seen  it  comin'  Eagle.  Jus'  'bout  that 
time  it's  come  big  wind.  It's  rotten  that 
tree,  an'  jus'  broke  it  an'  fall  down.  They 
jus'  go  eva'  which  way,  all  them  fellas. 
Porkypine,  he's  all  cover  up  with  rotten 
wood,  but  he's  chawed  it  'way  an'  crawl 
out  Mebbe  so  that's  why  he's  all  a  time 
like  to  chawed  it  rotten  woods,  Porkypine. 
An'  he's  kin'  a  hurt  too,  lit'l  bit,  Porky- 
pine,  so,  whett  Turtle  say:  'Le's  go, 
hurry,'  Porkypine  say  he  can't  travel. 
Then  he's  tole  'im  Turtle,  'Get  on  my  back, 
an*  he's  give  him  basket  ashes  to  scatta* 


90  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

on  his  tracks,  that  Turtle,  so  can't  fin' 
trail,  nobody,  them  otha  fellas. 

"He's  got  it  that  featha',  Turtle.  Well, 
it's  started  all  of  'em.  Turtle  Porkypine 
on  he  back,  they  las'  one.  Porkypine  he's 
jus'  get  it  busy  scatta'  ashes  on  Turtle,  his 
tracks;  but  shucks,  it  don't  hide  'em  track 
't  'all,  jus'  make  easy  to  see  it  trail. 

"They  jus'  go  on  hurry,  an'way,  an' 
it's  prit'  nea'  get  to  riva',  when  he's  heard 
'em  comin,  Eagle  an'  his  bunch.  Jus'  'bout 
edge  of  wata',  Turtle,  an'  they  jus'  holla, 
'Who-o!'  an'  jump  out  an'  ketch  'em  that 
Turtle,  Eagle,  his  bunch.  They  try  to  take 
it  'way  Turtle,  that  featha';  but  can't  do 
it.  Turtle  got  it  in  he  mouth  an'  can't 
let  it  go,  an'  won't  give  up,  that  Turtle, 
e'tha'. 


THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  91 

"So  he  sed  it,  them  fellas:  'We  fix  it, 
OF  Turtle/  An'  one  of  it  jus'  mek  it 
fire  an'  when  it's  burn  good,  they  jus' 
pick  'im  up  Turtle  an'  carry  'im  bottom 
side  up  top,  an'  jus'  hoi'  him  ova'  fire.  01' 
Turtle  sed  it:  'Oh  that  such  a  nice,  I  jus' 
like  it  that  kind,  plenty  hot,  don't  took  me 
out  a  fire  my  fren's,  I  like  it.'  Them  fellas 
jus'  mad  an'  sed  it:  'It  don't  hurt  'im 
fire,  le's  took  'im  out,  whip  'im.'  So  they 
take  it  out  fire,  an'  some  fellas  get  good 
sticks  an'  jus'  beat  'im,  Turtle,  on  his  back. 
Turtle  jus'  commence  sing,  jus'  like  it  was 
beatin'  drum,  them  fellas,  an'  jus'  seem 
like  a  happy.  He's  mad  some  mo'  them 
fellas,  an'  Turtle  he's  got  it  yet  that 
featha'. 


92  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"Somebody  sed  it:  'Le's  throw  'im  in 
riva'.'  So  they  pick  him  up  an'  start  do 
that.  That  Turtle  he's  jus'  scream,  an 
sed  it  he's  'fraid  a  wata'  an'  'jus'  beg  'em 
not  put  'im  in  riva'.  He's  jus'  push  back 
an'  holla'  an'  don't  want  go  'tall,  jus'  mek 
'em  big  fuss.  Them  fellas  jus'  glad  then 
to  heard  'im,  an'  sed  it:  'We  jus'  throw 
it  in  deepes'  wata'  we  could  find.'  An' 
sure  'nough  they  jus'  pitch  'im  that  Turtle, 
'way  out  in  deep  wata',  ka-zowey.  They 
could  seen  him  sink  down  bottom  of  riva' 
an'  layin'  on  his  back,  like  dead,  but  he's 
got  that  featha,  yet. 

"Well,  them  otha'  fellas  think  its  dead, 
Turtle;  but  prit'  soon  they  seen  'im  swim 
out  'cross  riva'  an'  dim'  up  on  big  log, 


Brii 


THE  EAGLE  FEATHER  93 

an'  he's  jus'  wave  that  eagle  featha'  an' 
jus'  give  big  wah-whoops. 

"So,  them  fellas  hold  council,  an'  they 
sed  it:  'Somebody  mus'  go  get  it,  that 
featha';  but  don't  want  go  nobody,  cause 
'fraid  of  wata.'  By-um-by  talk  some  mo', 
an'  send  it,  Otter.  He's  swim  out  that 
log  quick,  an'  Turtle,  he's  jus'  set  there 
an'  hoi'  it  up  that  featha'.  'Bout  time 
Otter  he's  get  there,  an'  goin'  crawl  on 
that  log,  Turtle,  he's  drop  in  wata'  on  otha' 
side  log.  He's  go  unda'  log  prit'  quick  on 
otha'  side,  'gen,  an'  he's  bite  on  end  Otter 
his  tail.  Then  jus'  go  'roun'  an'  'roun'  that 
log  Otter  an'  Turtle.  That  Otter  he's  jus' 
holla';  'Ow-we-e,  he's  hurt  me,  ow-we-e!' 
Prit'  soon  that  Turtle,  he's  bite  off  piece 


94  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

tail  an'  Otter,  he's  get  'way,  hurry,  an' 
swim  to  sho'. 

"Turtle,  he's  get  on  log  'gen  an'  wave 
that  eagle  featha'  an'  jus'  whoop  'em  heap. 

"They  couldn't  beat  'im  nobody,  that 
Turtle,  that's  cause  he's  bes'  one  yet." 


IX. 
WHY  AUTUMN  LEAVES  ARE  RED. 

A  WYANDOT  MYTH. 

It  had  been  a  clear  winter's  day,  not  cold 
and  with  just  enough  bright  sunshine  on 
the  first  light  snow  that  had  fallen.  The 
boy  had  been  out  in  the  woods  with  his 
dog;  and  down  in  a  sheltered  place  along 
the  bluffs,  he  found  some  dog-wood  shoots 
yet  bearing  their  brillantly  colored  leaves. 
Gathering  some  of  these  he  had  brought 
them  home  and  placed  them  in  an  old  silver 
flagon  that  stood  on  the  mantel-piece.  They 
made  a  wonderful  bit  of  bright,  cheery  color 
in  the  room. 


96  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

Of  course  he  called  his  Aunt's  attention 
to  them,  for  he  well  knew  how  much  she 
liked  bits  of  bright  color. 

He  saw  her  look  thoughtfully  at  their 
scarlet  and  crimson  and  was  all  interest, 
yet  not  surprised  when  she  said : 

"OF  Ouendots  use's  tell  story  'bout  how 
come  leaves  get  prit'  color  in  fall  times.  Not 
long  one,  story,  but  jus'  kin'  a  nice.  Cou'se 
it's  'bout  some  animals,  cause  seems  like 
long  time  'go  they  was  live  first,  'fo'  peo 
ples.  They  somethin'  like  peoples,  too,  I 
guess,  cause  they  do  so  much  things  all  a 
same  like. 

"Didn't  I  ever  tol'  you  what's  reason  it's 
red  an'  color,  all  tree  leafs  in  fall  time? 

"Well,  it's  like  this  one:  Long  'go  when 


WHY  AUTUMN  LEAVES  ARE  RED         97 

it's  all  fix  it  up,  Sky-land,  by  Little  Turtle, 
Deer,  he's  got  in  hurry  an'  went  up  tha' 
'fore  it's  all  fix  it  fo'  animals.  It's  jus' 
mek  'em  mad,  all  of  'em,  cause  that  Deer 
he's  all  a  time  such  hurry  to  buck  in. 

"Afta'  while  when  it's  all  ready  eva- 
thing,  Bear,  it's  his  time  to  go  up  tha',  so 
he's  go  up  by  that  nice  road  what  he's  fix  it, 
Little  Turtle,  an'  when  he's  got  up  tha'  prit' 
soon,  he's  meet  'im,  Deer.  He's  sed  to  him : 
'What  fo'  you  come  here  so  hurry,  'fo'  he's 
tol'  you,  Little  Turtle,  it's  ready?'  Deer, 
he's  awfu'  proud  like'  an'  he's  jus'  shook  his 
head,  an'  sed  it:  'Nobody  but  Wolf  could 
ask  that  to  me,  he's  the  one  to  sed  it,  not 
you.'  An'  by-um-by,  he's  sed  it,  'notha' 
'gen:  Til  jus'  give  you  whippin',  Bear, 


98  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

cause  you  such  a  smart/  an'  that  Deer  his 
eyes  jus'  like  fire,  an'  hair  on  his  back,  jus' 
stan'  up  straight  cause  he's  mad. 

"Bear,  cause  can'  'fraid  him  nothin', 
he's  jus'  stan'  tha'  waitin'  fo'  that  Deer  to 
jump  on  him,  I  spec'. 

"Then  Deer  start  it.  Bear  jus'  growl  big, 
mek  loud  noise,  jus'  like  shake  sky,  an'  he 
sharp  claw  jus'  tear  that  Deer,  an'  Deer, 
his  sharp  horn  an'  foot,  jus'  cut  that  Bear. 
They  fight  long  time  an'  mek  big  noise. 
They  could  heard  it  them  otha's  down  on 
Great  Island.  Then  they  sent  him  up  that 
Wolf  to  stop  it  that  fight. 

"Wolf,  he's  get  up  tha'  an'  he's  got  hard 
time  to  mek  stop  it  that  big  fight,  that  Deer 
an'  Bear;  but  he's  do  it  prit'  soon,  an  when 


WHY  AUTUMN  LEAVES  ARE  RED         99 

that  Deer,  he's  run  'way,  his  horn  jus'  all 
drippin'  with  blood,  that  Bear's.  That  blood 
jus'  fall  down  on  tree  leafs  on  Great  Island, 
an'  mek  it  all  red  color.  It's  that  way  yet, 
ev'  time  come  'roun'  that  time  they  fight 
it,  that  Deer  an'  that  Bear,  leafs  jus'  get 
that  way,  red. 
"They  sed  it  long  'go,  01'  Ouendots." 


X. 

THE  FERRYMAN. 

When  this  story  was  finished,  the  old 
clock  hadn't  yet,  as  Neh-ah  sometimes  re 
marked:  "He's  sed  it,  eight." 

The  Boy  was  ready  with  another  sug 
gestion,  and  said:  "Now  Neh-ah,  you've 
told  me  such  a  good  story  about  the  red 
leaves,  I  think  you'll  have  to  tell  an 
other  about  a  rabbit.  Old  Jolly  and  I 
brought  home  seven.  You'd  hardly  believe 
it,  but  Jolly  run  one  into  a  b-i-g  hollow  red- 
oak  that  stands  down  on  the  hill-side.  Some 
one  had  cut  a  hole  in  one  side  of  it  and  I 
crawled  in;  and  down  in  the  old  hollow 

[100] 


THE  FERRYMAN  101 

roots  running  all  'round,  I  kept  pulling  out 
rabbits  until  I  had  seven.  Mebbe  we  won't 
have  a  pot-pie,  and  I'll  sell  some  of  them  in 
town,  too." 

Neh-ah  listened  smilingly  to  the  Boy, 
then  said:  "Well,  guess  can't  cross  riva' 
no  mo'  nobody,  cause  must  be  you  kill  all 
the  ferrymans.  You  don't  give  'im  no  good 
chance  or  mebbe  so  they  foolish  you  like  he 
done  to  one  fella,  one  time. 

"I  didn't  tell  you  befo'  'bout  Rabbit,  is  it? 
He's  live  long  time 'go  down  on  riva',  an'  he's 
got  good  canoe,  an'  jus'  took  'em  eva-body 
cross  riva',  like  what  you  call  it  ferry-boat, 
aint  it? 

"Well,  one  time  Rabbit,  he's  sittin'  down 
on  riva'  bank,  jus'  singin'  an'  waitin'  like, 


102          TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

an*  prit'  soon  he's  holla'  somebody,  otha* 
side  of  riva.  Rabbit,  he's  look  and  seen  it, 
OF  Wolf,  so  he's  jus'  don'  mek  no  'tention, 
jus'  keep  on  singin'  like  don't  heard  nothin'. 
That  Wolf,  he's  mean  one,  all  a  time  want 
kill  'em  somebody,  an'  Rabbit  he  don't  like 
'em. 

"Prit'  soon  Wolf  sed  it:  'Hey,  you  fella' 
you  feet  it's  crooked  out,  come  took  me 
'cross  riva'.' 

Rabbit,  he's  jus'  ke'p  on  singin',  an'  by- 
um-by  he's  say :  "Long  'go,  I  all  a  time  dance 
plenty  at  feast,  'at's  why  it's  crooked  out, 
my  foots." 

"Wolf  sed  it:  'Hey,  you  fella,  'at's  got 
1-o-n-g  ears,  jus'  stick  it  up  straight,  come 
took  me  'cross  riva'.' 


THE  FERRYMAN  103 

"Rabbit,  he  say:  'My  ears  stick  it  up, 
'cause  long  'go  I  could  wear  many  eagle 
featha',  ain't  it?' 

"Wolf,  he  sed  it:  'Hey,  you  fella',  it's 
split  you  lip,  come  take  a  me  ova'  rivaV 

"Rabbit,  he  say:  'It's  that  way  my  lip, 
cause  long  'go,  I  whistle  much  at  big  dance, 
ain't  it?' 

"Wolf,  he's  jus'  mad  now,  and'  sed  it:  'Oh, 
you  jus'  brag  heap,  all  a  time,  I  get  you 
now.'  Then  he's  jus'  jump  in  riva'  an' 
swim  'cross.  Rabbit  he's  run  an'  Wolf  he's 
took  af  ta'  him.  He's  run  long  ways  an'  jus' 
gettin'  tired,  but  Wolf,  he's  comin',  he's  prit' 
close  now.  Rabbit,  he's  come  to  hollow  tree, 
an'  he's  jump  in  hole,  jus'  time  Wolf  he's 
goin'  ketch  'im. 


104  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"Wolf,  he's  mad,  an'  he  jus'  goin'  stand 
by  that  hole  till  that  Rabbit,  he's  come  out, 
n'en  he  ketch  'em  sure,  so  he's  stay  right 
tha'.  Rabbit  he's  rest  lit'l  time,  n'en  he's  go 
out  notha'  hole  an'  go  back  to  his  canoe. 
L-o-n-g  time  afta'  Wolf,  he's  get  heap  tired 
that  what  you  call  it,  watch-ful-a-waitin', 
an'  he's  go  back  down  riva'.  He's  look  otha' 
side  an'  seen  it  that  Rabbit  sit  on  his  canoe, 
jus'  like  bin  tha'  all  a  time. 

"That's  time  he  don'  ketch  'im  Rabbit, 
that  01'  Wolf,  ain't  it?" 


XL 


OLD  COON  TEACHES  THE  WOLF  TO 
HUNT. 

Neh-ah  and  the  Boy  were  sitting  just  in 
the  fire  light  one  night  when  the  old  woman 
said: 

"You  jus'  always  like  it  to  hear  'em  so 
much  story  'bout  01'  Fox  an'  01'  Coon,  I 
jus'  happen  today,  think  of  'notha'  one  kin' 
a  like  it.  'Tain't  01'  Fox  tho',  cause  he's 
gone  an'  I  don'  eva'  hear  if  he's  come  back. 
Mebbe  so  if  you  heard  it  some  day  'bout 
his  come  back,  you  could  tell  that  story. 
But  that  01'  Coon  he  jus'  always  took  eva* 

[105] 


106  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

chance  what  come  'long  to  play  trick  on 
somebody. 

"Any-how,  I  tole  you  this  story  jus'  same 
way  you  Uncl'  Jim  Clark  use'  tole  it  long 
'go  in  Canada.  He  was  good  one  to  tole 
story,  only  some-time  he  jus'  put  in  lots  a 
cuss  words  like  he  all  a  time  sed  it  white- 
mans.  Them  Injun  boy  long  time  'go  'at's 
jus'  first  thing  learn  Inglis',  it's  the  cuss 
words.  I  guess  it's  cause  in  Injun  langwige 
they  don'  got  none,  cuss  words. 

"It's  long  time  afta'  he's  gone  that  Fox, 
one  day  OP  Wolf  he's  prowlin'  'long  riva' 
an'  he's  meet  'im  that  Coon.  01'  Coon  he's 
bin  on  visit  'way  out  west  to  pra'rie  peoples, 
an'  he's  bring  it  home  big  bundl'  buffalo 
meat.  He's  jus'  eatin'  piece  when  he's  come 
'long  01'  Wolf. 


OLD  COON  TEACHES  WOLF  TO  HUNT     10*7 

"Wolf  he's  sed  it:  'Hello,  my  Couzzen, 
what  kin'  meats  you  eat  'em,  an'  where  you 
get  it?  I  don'  had  no  good  meats  fo'  long 
time,  it's  kin'  a  sca'ce  now  days,  ain't  it?' 

"01'  Coon  he's  jus'  kin'  a  grin,  an'  gif  to 
him  piece  of  meat,  that  Wolf,  an'  he's  sed  it: 
'Oh,  it's  a  buffalo  meats  what  I  got.  I  ketch 
'em  that  kin'  buffalo  out  on  pra'rie,  where 
I  bin  few  day.  It's  lots  of  it  there,  buffalo, 
an'  it's  kin  easy  to  ketch  'em  that  kin'  too.' 

"Wolf,  he's  jus'  eatin'  an'  it's  sure  taste 
good  that  meats.  Prit'  soon  he's  say :  'How 
you  sed  it's  easy  to  ketch  it  that  kin'?  He's 
big'  one  than  you  are,  an'  could  run  fas'.  I 
don'  see  how  you  mek  it  easy  to  ketch  'em 
that  kin'.' 

"'Well,'  Coon  sed  it,  'I  could  tole  you 


108  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

how  it's  easy  ketch'em,  you  wants  to  tried 
it.  He's  big  one,  but  he's  easy  to  'fraid,  an' 
when  he's  heap  'fraid,  he's  jus'  scare  to 
death,  jus'  run  'til  it's  kill  himselV 

"Wolf  he's  say:  'You  ketch  'im  that 
way?' 

"  'Yes,  I  ketch  'im,'  he  sed  it  Coon.  I 
jus'  tole  you  all  'bout  it  an'  you  could  tried 
it  an'  ketch  'em  good,  then  you  have  lots  a 
good  meats.  You  could  start  fo'  prai'rie  pri't 
soon  an'  come  to  edge,  long  'bout  dark  come, 
jus'  befo'.  You  jus'  look  'roun'  good  an'  fin' 
it  bunch  buffalo,  eat  'roun'  close  to  bushes. 
You  watch  'em  'n'  afta'  whiles  its  tired  eat 
it,  an  it's  lay  down  sleep  it.  When  he's  good 
lay  down  sleep  it,  you  jus'  go  'long  easy,  slip 
up  behin'  an'  you  jus'  tied  it,  that  buffalo, 


OLD  COON  TEACHES  WOLF  TO  HUNT     109 

his  tail  'roun  you-sel',  you  middel.  It's 
long  hair  on  his  tail,  that  fella".  You  mus' 
tied  it  good,  so  can't  slip  off,  cause  if  slip 
off,  he's  turn  'roun'  jus'  step  on  you,  sure. 
When  get  it  tie  up  good,  you  jus'  mek  big 
noise — whoo,  whoo.  Buffalo  he's  so  scare 
he's  jump  up  an'  run,  an'  you  jus'  took  good 
ride,  cause  you  jus'  go  with  'im,  an'  jus'  all 
a  time  go  whoo,  whoo.  That  buffalo  he  jus' 
run  heap,  he's  so  scare,  an'  prit'  soon  he's 
jus'  drop  dead,  then  you  mus'  cut  it,  his 
throat,  an'  you  got  heap  good  eat.' 

"Wolf,  he's  jus'  lis'n,  an'  he's  sed  it: 

"  'It's  soun'  good,  I  guess  mebbe  so,  I 

tried  it.    Le's  go,  you  jus'  watch  a  me,  I 

kill  'em  buffalo.' 

"So  Coon  he's  go  long,  an'  they  start  it 


110  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

for  pra'rie.  It's  'bout  dark  when  they  gets 
to  edge  of  timber,  an'  right  clos'  by  seen  it 
bunch  buffalo.  Wolf  an'  Coon  jus'  lay  down 
rest  lit'l  bit,  an'  watch  it  that  buffalo.  Afta' 
while  it's  got  'nuff  eat  it,  an'  jus'  all  laid 
down  to  sleep  it. 

"Wolf,  he's  jus'  feelin'  prit'  good  an'  he's 
pick  it  out  big  fat,  she  one  buffalo.  Well, 
when  he's  sleep  it  good  that  ol'  she  one, 
buffalo,  Coon  tell  him  betta'  go  now,  an'  he's 
slip  out  easy  an'  he's  tied  he-se'f  good  to 
that  she  one,  buffalo,  his  tail,  an'  when  it's 
all  tie  up  tight,  Wolf,  he's  jus'  go  holler: 
'Whoo,  whoo.'  That  she  one,  buffalo,  he's 
'fraid  plenty.  He  jus'  jump  up  an'  holler: 
'Bra-a-h,  bra-a-h,'  an'  jus'  go  run,  he  so 
scare,  jus'  like  what's  say  white  peoples: 


OLD  Fox  TEACHES  WOLF  TO  HUNT      111 

'scare  like  hell/  He  sure  run  fas'  an*  that 
Wolf  he's  jus'  hoi'  tight  on  his  tail,  that  she 
one,  buffalo,  an'  jus'  ride  fas'  too.  Eva'  once 
while,  buffalo  jus'  kick  'im  in  ribs  an'  01' 
Wolf  he's  go  up  in  air.  Prit'  soon  he's  gone 
out  a  sight,  buffalo  an'  wolf.  01'  Coon  he's 
jus'  kin'  a  chuckle  an'  sed  it  to  he-self:  'I 
guess  mebbe  so,  my  couzzen,  he's  get  prit' 
good  ride,  now,  won't  get  back  fo'  many 
moons,  mebbe  so,  spec'  he's  go  'long  ways/ 
"But  that  Wolf,  he  don'  ride  such  long 
time,  cause  that  she  one,  buffalo,  he's  come 
to  big  mud  hole,  wide  one,  an'  jus'  'bout  time 
he's  get  middel  that  mud  hole,  he's  mek 
big  kick  an'  that  Wolf,  he's  break  it  loose 
from  tail,  jus'  go  up  in  air,  an'  come  down 
tchi-wash  in  that  sof  muds.  He's  kin'  a 


112  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

glad  too,  cause  don'  want  it  no  buffalo  meats 
now.  He's  crawl  out  mud  hole  kin'  slow, 
cause  prit'  sore,  an'  start  off  kin'  a  limp,  an' 
he  sed  it  to  he-self:  'That  Coon  he's  don' 
say  how  long  got  to  ride  it,  that  buffalo.  I 
guess  he's  jus'  mek  it  foolish  with  me. 
Nex'  time  I  don't  tried  it  what  he  say. 

It's  jus'  same  kin'  he's  always  foolish  'im 
that  01'  Fox.    He's  bad  rascal  that  Coon. 


XII. 

THE  HOLE  IN  THE  SKY 

OR 
HOW  THE  SUMMER  BECAME 

LONGER. 

"Well,  I  guess  that  Old  Coon  never  did 
stop  playing  his  pranks.  I  only  wish  that 
more  of  his  tricks  had  been  told  in  other  sto 
ries,  for  it  is  sure  fun  to  listen  to  them." 
So  the  Boy  said  one  evening  when  he  was 
not  quite  sure  that  Neh-ah  had  another 
story  for  him.  He  was  right  pleasantly  sur 
prised  when  she  at  once  said : 

"I  goin'  tell  you  'notha  one  Uncle  Jim's 
Story.  01'  Tah-too-tahn-yoh,  he's  ol'  'Jib- 

[113] 


114  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

way  man  what's  marry  to  Ouendot  woman, 
an  live  'mongst  our  people  in  Canada,  long 
'go.  Lots  a  boys  jus'  go  down  his  house 
winta'  time  an'  he's  tell  'em  ol'  story,  some 
times  prit  near  all  night.  They  jus'  pitch 
in  an'  cut  it  lots  wood  fo'  ol'  man  an'  he's 
tell  'em  ol'  story.  It's  good  story,  this  one, 
I  like  it  my-se'f . 

"Long  time  'go,  ol'  people  use  tole  'bout 
it,  it's  jus'  col'  all  a  time,  prit'  near.  I  think 
mebbe  so,  it's  that  time,  faint  very  ol'  world, 
cause  it's  them  days,  peoples  and  animals, 
jus'  kin'  a  all  a  same  like,  sometimes  they  be 
peoples,  sometimes  some  kin'  animal,  jus' 
what  kin'  they  like.  They  know  how  to  do 
eva-thing  them  days,  got  power,  jus'  like 
what  call  white  peoples  now,  witch,  I  guess, 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      115 

anyhow,  could  do  jus'  what  want  do,  any 
thing. 

"Well,  it's  them  days,  good  hunta',  he's 
lodge  not  far  from  Big  Watah ;  but  it's  no 
body  live  clos'  by,  jus'  him  an'  woman,  an' 
got  one  boy,  lit'l  fella,  jus'  'bout  half  way 
grown  to  man.  It's  big  country,  lots  tree, 
big  ones  all  'run'  where  he's  live,  that  hunt- 
ah.  He's  got  strong  power,  could  prit'  near 
do  it  anything.  Sometime  he's  man,  an' 
sometime  he's  that  lit'l  kin'  animal  what 
dey  call  it,  Fisher,  jus'  kin'a  like  that  Otter, 
'at's  his  Couzzen,  an'  kin'  a  looks  like  'im,  but 
he  ain't  that  big.  That  01'  Otter,  he's  kin' 
a  funny  fella,  he's  jus'  all  a  time,  laff  an' 
sing,  an'  have  good  fun.  He's  all  a  time 
talk  heap,  too;  but  he  don'  sed  nothin'  much-, 


116          TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

jus'  talk.  He's  good  fella,  tho,  an'  jus'  try 
to  do  it  anything  what  tell  'im,  somebody. 

"That  hunta'  he's  all  a  time  kill  'em  heap 
deer,  an'  eva'  kin'  a  game,  so,  jus'  have 
plenty  to  eat.  That  woman,  he's  good  one, 
too,  jus'  take  care  that  game  what  he's  kill 
'em,  dried  that  deer  meat  an'  smoke  'im,  an' 
mek  that  fine  buck-skin  fo'  moccasin  an' 
leggins. 

"They  jus'  like  'im,  heap,  that  lit'l  fella' 
too.  That  hunta'  he's  mek  'im  good  lit'l 
bow  an'  arrows,  an'  showed  'im  how  hunt 
bird  an'  squirrels;  an'  that  woman,  he's 
mek  'em  lit'l  moccasins  an'  leggin'  an' 
huntin'  shirt.  Snow  shoes  too,  cause  it's  jus' 
plenty  snow  that  country  all  a  time.  It's 
that  way  them  days,  jus'  col'  an'  snow  prit' 
near  all  time. 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      117 

"That  lit'l  fella'  he's  jus'  go  hunt  by  him- 
se'f  an'  bring  'em  back  to  lodge,  bird  an* 
squirrels;  but  he's  jus'  get  prit'  near  freeze 
it  eva'  time.  His  finger  jus'  'bout  freeze  it, 
an'  can't  shoot  good,  an'  sometime  jus'  mek 
'im  mad,  an  jus'  cried,  cause  it  so  cold,  don* 
know  what  do.  He's  jus'  wish  it  don'  be  so 
much  freeze  it  an'  cold  f o'  so  many  days. 

"Well,  one  time,  that  lit'l  fella',  he's  bin 
hunt,  an'  jus'  comin'  back  to  lodge.  Oh,  it's 
col',  an'  that  lit'l  fella',  he's  'bout  froze 
it  now.  He's  comin'  'long,  an'  he's  seen 
it,  squirrel,  it's  sit  on  bush  lit'l  way 
head,  it's  eatin'  somthin'.  He's  wonda' 
that  lit'l  fella'  why  don'  run,  squirrel,  an' 
he's  jus'  fix  it  his  arrow  to  shoot  it.  'Bout 
that  time,  that  squirrel,  he  sed  it: 


118  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"Grandson,  musn't  shoot  it,  me.    Put  it 
down  you  bow  cause  I  got  somethin'  to  sed 
to  you.  You  jus'  lis'n  an'  you  do  what  I  sed 
it.  Long  time  I  seen  it  you  don't  like  it  heap 
col'  an'  snow,  I  seen  you  huntin'  an'  jus' 
can't  help  it,  cry  some  time,  cause  heap  col'. 
It's  too  plenty  col'  all  a  time,  anyhow,  I 
don'  like  it  too.  Now  I  tole  you  what  do,  an' 
we  fix  it  mo'  summa'  time.    You  f  atha',  he's 
strong  power,  he  could  do  it  prit'  near  any 
thing.   When  you  get  you  lodge,  you  mus' 
jus'  cryin'  all  a  time.  Yo'  motha',  he's  want 
know   what's   matta',    you   jus'    don'    sed 
nothin',  jus'  cryin',  an'  cryin'  heap.    Jus' 
keep  it  cryin'  all  a  time  'til  he's  come,  you 
f  atha' ;  then  when  he's  ask  it  what's  matta' 
don'  sed  nothin'  f  o'  long  time,  but  jus'  cryin' 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      119 

an'  cryin'  jus'  likes  feel  so  bad,  can't  sed 
nothin'.  Then  afta'  whiles,  you  tell  'im: 
'Me,  I  don't  like  it  too  much  col'  all  a  time,  I 
jus'  want  mo'  summa'  times.'  Just  sed  it: 
'Oh,  my  fatha'  can't  you  have  him,  some 
body,  make  it  mo'  summa'  times,  an'  don' 
•have  it  so  much  col'  an'  snows.  Oh,  I  don* 
like  it  so  much  col'.' 

"So,  that  lit'l  fella,  he  tole  'im,  squirrel, 
he  do  that  way,  an'  he's  got  to  lodge,  he's 
jus'  cryin'  an'  cryin',  jus'  like  it  hurt  some- 
thin'  but  don'  know  what.  He  motha'  ask 
it  what's  matta',  but  jus'  shook  head  an' 
don't  sed  it  nothin',  jus'  push  'way  what's 
want  'im  to  eat  it,  his  motha',  an'  jus'  keep 
cryin'  'til  it's  come  his  fatha',  then  he's  do 
jus'  like  what's  tole  'im  that  squirrel. 


120  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

"Well,  he  fatha'  sed  it:  'My  son,  I  try  do 
that  what  you  sed  it.  It's  much  hard  thing 
to  do,  but  I  tried,  cause  my  son  want  it 
that  kin'/  So  that  lit'l  fella'  he's  stop  it 
cryin'  an'  eat  it  what  gif  to  'im  his  motha'. 
That  Fisher  sed  it,  he  mus'  make  feast  an' 
call  council  for  his  frens'.  Nex'  day  they 
cook  it  whole  bear,  an'  sen'  word  to  Otter, 
Beaver,  Lynx  an'  Badger  to  come  that 
feast  an'  council.  Well,  afta'  whiles,  it's 
come  eva'body  an'  had  it  big  eats ;  then  all 
a  them  fella'  jus'  sit  'round  an'  prit'  soon 
smoke  it  peace-pipe,  then  jus'  talk  'bout  it, 
what's  got  do. 

"Afta'  talk  'bout  it  long  time,  all  them 
otha'  fellas'  sed  it  they  go  with  that  Fisher 
an'  he'p  'im.  He  sed  it,  they  go  in  three 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      121 

days.  Time  come  that  Fisher  he  tole  it 
goodby,  that  woman,  an'  lit'l  fella',  an'  he's 
jus'  feel  heap  bad,  cause  he's  know  mebbe 
so  he  don'  seen  it  no  mo'. 

"Then  he's  start  all  of  it,  an'  jus'  go  on, 
don't  meet  'im  nothin'  'til  'bout  twenty  days, 
it's  come  to  foot  of  high  mountain.  Jus' 
could  look  up  as  want  to,  an'  can't  see  it 
top,  it's  h-i-g-h,  that  mountain.  They  fin' 
it  tracks,  like  kill  it  somethin',  somebody, 
jus'  while  'go;  you  could  see  bloody,  an'  that 
track  goin'  up  mountain.  That  Fisher  he 
sed  it,  'betta'  follow  it  that  track,  mebbe- 
so  fin'  it  somethin'  eat  it.'  So,  jus'  followed 
it,  track,  an'  prit'  soon,  come  to  lodge.  Fish 
er,  he  tole  'em,  mus'  be  still,  don'  laugh  'fall. 

"By-um-by,  they  saw  ol'  man  stan'  in 


122  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

door  that  lodge.  He's  jus'  crooked  eva' 
which  way,  jus9  all  twist  up.  He's  got  b-i-g 
head,  an'  funny  kin'  teetch,  jus'  all  stick  out 
an'  he  don't  had  no  arms.  Them  fella's  they 
wonda'  how  he  could  kill  'em  anything.  That 
ol'  man  he's  ask  'em  come  in  his  lodge,  cause 
it's  jus'  'bout  night,  come. 

"That  ol'  man,  he's  strong  Monedo,  he 
could  do  anything.  Well,  afta'  whiles  oP 
man  he's  bring  out  big  bowl  meat,  an'  he's 
jus'  gif  to  them  fellas'  some  f o'  their  suppa'. 
He's  jus'  move  'roun'  heap  funny,  an  that 
Otter,  he  jus'  can't  he'p  it,  an'  prit  soon  he's 
laugh.  That  Monedo,  he's  jus  look  at  'im, 
an'  jus'  jump  on  him  goin'  smother  '1m, 
cause  it's  that  way  he's  kill  it  anything.  But 
that  Otter,  when  he's  felt  oP  crooked  man 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      123 

light  on  he's  head,  he's  jus'  slip  out  from 
unda'  'im  an'  he's  jus'  run  out  door  an'  get 
'way;  but  that  Monedo  he's  sed  it  bad  fo' 
'im  that  Otter. 

"Rest  of  'em  they  eat,  an'  smoke  an'  talk, 
prit'  near  all  night.  That  ol'  man  he's  tole 
Fisher  he  could  do  what's  he's  want  do ;  but 
it's  a  hard  one  to  do,  an'  mebbe  so,  it's  kill 
'im.  He's  tole  'im  which  way  to  go,  an'  sed 
it  fo'  them  to  do  like  he  said  it,  an'  if  follow 
that  road,  it  sure  take  'em  right  place.  Whe' 
he's  tole  'em  all  'bout  jus'  what  to  do  it,  eva'- 
body  sleep  it  lit'l  time. 

"Come  nex'  mornin',  started  go  on.  Jus* 
gone  lit'l  ways  an'  meet  it  tha'  Otter,  he's 
'bout  freeze  it,  an'  kin'  a  hungry;  but  that 
Fisher,  he's  took  'long  some  that  meat  what's 


124  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

gif  to  'im  that  ol'  crooked  man,  so  that  Otter 
he's  eat  it.  He  don'  laff  this  time. 

"Weir  jus'  travel  eva'  day  'till  it's  bout 
twenty  days  'gen,  an'  they  come  to  that 
place  what's  tell  'em  'bout,  that  Monedo. 
It's  the  highest  mountain,  yet.  Have  to 
clim'  long  ways  'fo'  get  to  top,  but  they  get 
up  tha'  an'  jus  sit  down  rest  and  smoke  it,' 
peace-pipe,  cause  got  to  do  that  kin  ask  'em 
Great  Spirit,  he'p  'em.  Jus'  put  it  tobacco 
in  that  pipe,  an'  hoi'  it  up  to  sky,  then  to 
no'th,  an'  east,  an'  south,  an'  west,  then  to 
earth  then  smoke  it.  It's  so  high  up  that 
mountain,  that  looks  like  sky  right  tha', 
an'  think,  an'  look  all  'roun'  fo'  long  time, 
an'  afta'  whiles,  that  Fisher,  he  sed  it,  'We 
mus'  get  ready,'  an'  he's  tell  'em,  'We  got  to 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      125 

mek  hole  in  sky.'    He's  tole  it  that  Otter 
try  it  first.  Jus'  jump  up  'gainst  it  hard  as 
you  can,  mebbe  so  break  it  hole.  Otter,  he's 
jus'  kin'  a  laff,  an'  sed  it,  'I  tried  it,  mebbe 
so.'  He's  jus'  jump  hard,  jus'  hit  that  sky 
so  hard  it's  jus'  bounce  'im  back,  an'  prit' 
near  knock  stuffin'  out  that  Otter.     He's 
fall  on  snow  right  on  he's  back,  an'  it's  kin' 
slick  that  snow,  an'  that  01'  Otter  he's  jus' 
go  slidin'  like  eva'thing,  clear  to  bottom  that 
mountain.  I  bet  he's  neva'  travel  that  fas' 
'gen.  When  he's  come  to  bottom,  he's  shake 
he-se',  an'  sed  it,  'I  think  mebbe  so,  I  gone 
home,  I  don'  like  make  it  that  jump  'notha' 
'gen,'  so  he's  jus'  pull  it  out  fo'  home. 

"Well,  that  Beaver,  he's  tried  it,  an'  it's 
fall  down  all  a  sense  knock  it  out  that  fella'. 


126          TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

Then  Lynx,  he's  tried  it  an'  it's  jus'  all  a 
f-a-r,  an'  it's  plenty  grass,  plenty  tree; 
same  kin',  jus'  laid  tha'  like's  dead. 

"  'Now,'  he  sed  it,  Fisher,  to  Badger, 
'You  tried  it,  it's  strong,  you  people  an? 
could  do  heap.' 

"Badger  he's  jus'  tried  hard,  an'  it's 
knock  'im  back  that  sky,  but  don'  hurt  'im, 
so,  he's  jus'  jump  up  an'  he's  tried  it  'notha' 
'gen.  This  time,  its  look's  kin'  a  like  it's 
crack,  that  sky,  so  Badger,  he's  jus'  puff 
up  b-i-g,  an'  he's  jump,  like  a  white  peoples 
sed  it:  'jus'  like  a  hell.'  It's  bust  hole  in 
sky  an'  Badger  he's  go  through  an'  that 
Fisher,  he's  jus'  jump  in  right  afta'  'im. 

"Them  two  fellas'  jus'  look  'roun'  an'  oh, 
it's  fin'  place,  jus'  like  a  prai'e,  could  see 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      127 

plenty  all  kin's  flower.  Jus'  lit!'  stream  run 
eva'  which  way,  lots  a  birds  jus'  ever  kin' 
prit'  ones  jus'  singin'  eva'  direction,  oh  it's 
jus'  like  a  nice  eva'where.  Right  ova'  tha' 
they  seen  it  some  good  ones'  lodges  an'  way 
ova'  good  ways  off  could  seen  it  lots  a  peo 
ples  jus'  playin'  ball,  havin'  good  time. 

"Don't  seen  nobody  in  them  lodges  but 
could  see  lots  mo-cocks  an'  baskets  an'  it's 
all  jus'  full  all  kin'  birds,  prit'  ones.  That 
Fisher  he's  jus'  think  of  that  lit'l  fella'  an' 
they  jus'  cut  it  open  them  mo-cocks  an'  bas 
kets  all  they  could  an'  let  it  out  all  those  kin' 
birds  an'  all  of  it  jus'  go  big  bunch  an'  fly 
down  that  hole  in  sky  what's  made  it  Bad 
ger.  An'  all  that  warm  weather  what's 
'roun'  tha'  it's  go  down  that  hole  too,  an' 


128          TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

jus'  spread  out  all  'roun'.  Prit'  soon  them 
peoples  way  ova'  tha'  they  see  it  them  fellas' 
what's  doin'  an'  jus'  come  run  ova'  that  way; 
but  time  they  get  ova'  tha'  it's  'bout  all  gone 
through  that  hole,  all  a  summa'  time  weath 
er,  jus'  'bout  lef '  nothin'  cep'  its  tail,  an'  one 
fella's  he's  come  runnin',  an'  he's  hit  it  with 
big  club,  an  jus'  broke  it  off  tail;  summa' 
time  'bout  to  went  through  that  hole. 

"That  Badger,  when  he's  seen  'em  comin' 
them  fellas'  he's  jus'  run  fo'  that  hole  but 
that  Fisher,  he's  jus'  keep  on  lettin'  out  lots 
mo'  bird  fo'  that  lit'l  fella',  an'  he's  stay 
too  long,  that  hole  it's  growed  up  an'  can't 
get  through.  Well,  he's  jus'  strike  out  run- 
nin'  cause  to  get  'way  from  them  otha'  fel 
las,'  an'  he's  run  fas'.  Prit'  soon  he's  come 


How  THE  SUMMER  BECAME  LONGER      129 

to  tall  tree  an'  he's  clim'  up.  They  come, 
them  fellas',  an'  shoot  at  'im,  arrows;  but 
that  fella  you  couldn't  hurt  'im  if  you  hit 
Mm,  jus'  one  place  arrow  could  hurt  'im,  jus' 
'bout  one  inch  end  of  he's  tail.  Prit'  soon 
one  arrow  hit  'im  on  that  place.  It's  prit' 
bad.  He's  look  down  tha'  an'  seen  it  one 
them  fellas',  he's  got  totem  same  like  what 
he's  got.  So,  he's  holla  to  him,  this  fella', 
an'  he's  tole  'im,  'you  my  couzzen,  tell  'em 
don'  kill  me.'  When  dark  come  them  fellas' 
quit  shoot,  an'  that  Fisher,  he's  come  down, 
he's  feel  prit'  bad,  cause  it's  bleed  heap.  So 
he's  start  crawl  'long  to  north,  mebbe  so  he 
fin'  hole  in  sky  he  can  go  through;  but  he's 
jus'  keep  travel  'til  he's  'bout  give  out,  don7 
fin'  none.  So,  he's  stretch  out  his  legs,  his 


130  TALES  OF  THE  BARK  LODGES 

head  to  no'th,  an  sed  it:  'Well,  I  did  that 
what's  want,  lit'l  fella.  It's  make  it  betta' 
f  o'  all  of  its  peoples,  have  mo'  summa'  times 
now,  maybe  eight  o'  nine  moons,  summa' 
time,  then  he's  jus'  die.  Them  fellas' 
fin'  it  nex'  day,  stretch  it  out  dead.  You 
could  see  it  in  sky  now,  it's  tha'  yet.  While 
peoples  call  it  that  stars,  Big  Bear." 


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